Author/Artist: Zerocalcare Translator: Carla Roncalli Di Montorio Publisher: Europe Comics Released: July 18, 2018 Received: NetGalley
Summary:
Tentacles at My Throatis not your ordinary story. This is the tale of three friends and one secret. It’s a secret that festered for fifteen years before coming back to bite them all. As with secrets, they have a way of multiplying and growing the longer they are left alone.
Review:
Huh. Tentacles at My Throat is a witty and fascinating read about a group of friends and a dark secret. I love how each friend thought their secret was just that – something they were dealing with alone. Only that quickly proves not to be the case.
As the story progresses, the secrets get more complicated in a way that mirrors real life. It made for a pretty interesting foundation. Throw in the coming-of-age elements and the dark humor; it is the perfect quick read.
Highlights:
Comical
Italian graphic novel
Dark humor
Coming-of-age
Thanks to Europe Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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: Stephen Mooney Artist: Stephen Mooney Colorist: Len O’Grady Letters: Shawn Lee Publisher: IDW Released: January 24, 2023 Received: NetGalley
It’s apparently been forty years since the original release of The Rocketeer, and IDW celebrated that by launching a new miniseries. Written and illustrated by Stephen Mooney, this volume is perfect for fans old and new.
And by new, I mean new to the series in general. I’ll confess that I hadn’t read the originals before diving in here (sorry to long-standing fans, but I couldn’t resist!), and it was SO easy to get swept up in the plot. So if you’ve been debating about giving it a try, debate no more: go try it!
The Rocketeer: The Great Race is an action-packed read, and I do mean that fairly literally. It’s got planes, rockets (obviously), and even a touch of that spy-thriller vibe. In short, if you like action (and lots of it), you’ve got to check this one out.
Thanks to IDW and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author/Artist: Edgar Camacho Publisher: Top Shelf Productions Released: December 6, 2022 Received: NetGalley
Super Trash Cashis the perfect graphic novel for anybody who loves video game nostalgia. This series has many other core elements, such as friendship, familial bonds, and why we hold so tightly to the things we cherish as children.
I didn’t know what to expect going into this graphic novel. Mostly, the artwork caught my attention, but the plot quickly became the show’s star. Interestingly, this story ends up hitting hard emotionally. I feel like this is the tone many coming-of-age or reflective stories try to nail but miss. However, Super Trash Cash did it perfectly, with the side of a hilarious title to boot.
Overall, I enjoyed this relatively quick and emotional read, and I highly recommend it to anyone else.
Thanks to Top Shelf Productions and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author/Artist: Cristian Castelo Publisher: Oni Press Released: November 22, 2022 Received: NetGalley
If you promise me a graphic novel that is a merger between roller derby and coming-of-age, you better believe I will read it! And that is exactly what Wild: Or So I Was Born To Be promises readers.
Wild Rodriguez and her friends always have cherished roller derby, and this year marks a highlight in their obsession – they’re finally trying out for the Rocket Rollers. Will they have what it takes to enter the roller derby world?
Anyone who understands roller derby knows exactly what sacrifices will need to be made, including accepting pain and punishment. Not to mention the risk of joining a feud…or two.
There’s something about the combination of roller derby and coming-of-age that feels so…right. Perhaps it’s because both roller derby and life can beat the shit out of you. Or perhaps it’s just me wanting to like this graphic novel! Either way.
Overall, I would have to say that Wild is a pretty interesting graphic novel. I think I liked the artwork more than the plot itself, but that isn’t a bad thing. To be honest, the monochromatic art style probably would have stolen the show, regardless.
There’s a lot of potential peaking through the pages, though I think the plot could have used a bit of tightening up. Even though I didn’t love every moment of this read, something about it made me wish it was a series. I think that’s the potential (and the artwork) speaking.
Thanks to Oni Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Author: Joe Benitez Additional Writing: M.M. Chen Artist: Joe Benitez Colorist: Beth Sotelo Letterer: Michael Heisler Publisher: Image Comics Released: September 27, 2022 Received: ARC
Woo! The adventures of Lady Mechanika continue in Lady Mechanika:The Monster of the Ministry of Hell. This is the seventh graphic novel in the series (and I would highly suggest you read everything in order!), and it is quite possibly the heaviest-hitting one of the set, which is saying something.
The great and mysterious Lady Mechanika has always desperately wanted to know about her origins. In the past, we’ve seen hints and pieces, but it’s not really enough to put together a full picture. This latest installment of the series will take us back to when Lady Mechanika was a young girl and began to fill in some of the blanks.
Mind you; it isn’t what most people would call a happy story. But it is the story of Lady Mechanika, and that makes it the perfect read for her fans.
Writing
So I think we can all agree that Lady Mechanika almost always packs one hell of a punch (pun not intended, but appreciated). The Monster of the Ministry of Hell is even more intense than the usual read – which is saying something.
With the help of M.M. Chen, Joe Benitez has crafted one of the most emotionally compelling volumes the series has seen thus far. I want to press this issue. Remember how much Lady Mechanika has gone through over the years, and now consider that statement again. You’re not going to get a light and fluffy read here (and if you were expecting that, I have questions).
What you will get are some long-awaited answers regarding her past. Mind you; you won’t get all of the answers. But it’s a start! If you’ve read and enjoyed the rest of this series, you cannot skip The Monster of the Ministry of Hell. As I said in an earlier review on Monkeys Fighting Robots, it is the epitome of the series thus far. Having completed its journey, I still feel this way.
Artwork
As always, the artwork inside The Monster of the Ministry of Hell is phenomenal. Anything revolving around Lady Mechanika is certain to be stunning; that much is a given. However, this volume seems to lean a little heavier into the macabre, so consider yourself warned.
Working alongside Joe Benitez (author and lead artist), we have Beth Sotelo for colors and Michael Heisler for letters. This team is capable of moving mountains, I swear. Their artwork is captivating and dark in all the right measures and will haunt you long into the night. As such, it’s the perfect complement for this darker plot.
Conclusion
The Monster of the Ministry of Hell ups the ante, providing fans with some long-awaited answers while throwing us all onto an emotional roller coaster. In other words, it was totally worth the wait.
Author/Artist: Norman Shurtliff Publisher: Top Shelf Productions Released: February 14, 2023 Received: NetGalley
Throw cats into a graphic novel, and you know I will read it. Just sayin’. Skull Cat: Skull Cat and the Curious Castleis a short and sweet graphic novel created by Norman Shurtliff. It’s set in a fantastical world where vampires, monsters, and ghosts exist – as do talking cats. Naturally.
Scully the Cat is a sweet little boy (cat) trying to take care of his family. If he comes across an adventure worth bragging about, that’s all the better. He wants to become a hero someday, but for now, he’ll settle for being a gardener.
Why a gardener? That’s the job currently available to him, though the garden in question is set around a creepy castle that may or may not have a dark sorcerer trapped somewhere in the depths. Or so the legend goes.
The best part about Skull Cat: Skull Cat and the Curious Castle (other than our kitty protagonist) is that this story is perfect for any age. It’s not so spooky as to frighten young ones, but it is also not childish, making it a fun read for teens and adults. Basically, if you like magic, cats, and adventures, you’ll probably enjoy Skull Cat.
The artwork is another highlight of this graphic novel. Shurtliff uses purples and blues to provide shadow without eliminating a sense of color. And the characters are so stinking cute! Even the ones that have no right to be. I’m in love.
Thanks to Top Shelf Productions and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Artist/Author: Alvaro Ortiz Publisher: Top Shelf Productions Released: February 7, 2023 Received: NetGalley
Book Summary:
Who hasn’t dreamed of taking an epic road trip with their best friends? We’ve been told repeatedly that the right road trip can change our lives and forge new bonds of friendship. Well, can it reconnect old friendships? One group is about to find out.
Polly, Moho, and Piter used to be great friends. Now, not so much. Time and distance have changed all of that. But perhaps one epic road trip can help them come back together, even if there is a bit of drama.
My Review:
I’ll be honest with you here; I really didn’t know what to expect from Ashes. It looked like it would be such a fun read, and I’ve been trying to be better about reading translated works lately (there are SO many gems out there!).
Naturally, my lack of expectations meant I was pretty blindsided by how intense and emotional this read it. Think about any faded friendship you’ve had – there are a lot of complex emotions wrapped up in those memories, right? Consider that emotional mess the foundation of a graphic novel, and you’ll have a better idea of where Ashes starts.
From there, it turns into so much more as these three friends tackle death, the nature of forgiveness and understand what friendship means to them. I love that each of the characters gets a chance to show their backstory – including the monkey! That was a cute surprise, if I may say so.
Highlights
Spanish comic
Friendship
Emotional
Road trip
Surprise monkey
Trigger Warnings
Car accident
Thanks to Top Shelf Productions and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
If you’ve spent time on Tapas, you’ve probably already spotted this witchy read. Unfamiliar is a fun series written and illustrated by Haley Newsome. It’s a series I’ve been following for a while now on Tapas, but when I saw it was getting a graphic novel, I knew I had to re-read and support it!
Planchette is a young kitchen witch setting out on her own for the first time. While she can spell up all the pizza she wants, she otherwise feels wildly unprepared for the future. More accurately, she doesn’t feel equipped to deal with her haunted house.
Thankfully, Planchette is far from the only witch or magical being in town, and this haunted house adventure is precisely what she needs to go out into the world and make some new friends. So that is what she’ll do.
Unfamiliar is by far one of my favorite series on Tapas at the moment (seriously, if you’re not reading it, you should go and check it out! It’s free!). So I was absolutely tickled when I learned about this graphic novel.
To say that this graphic novel is charming would be an understatement. Planchette and all her newly made friends have so much personality – not to mention backstory. We have a cursed girl, a bird girl, and a shy siren. Plus, a sassy familiar. What more could you ask for? Oh right! Ghosts! There are plenty of those too.
If you love enchanting (pun intended) stories with complex and cute characters, Unfamiliar is the tale for you. Because it is based on an online comic series, the plot arcs are less sequential and brief, with a few exceptions. This helps make it a lighter read. Think a magical slice-of-life story, and you’re pretty close.
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Series: Disney Manga Author: Mallory Reaves Artists: Studio Dice, Gianluca Papi Publisher: Disney Manga Released: March 15, 2022 Received: NetGalley
Beauty and the Beast – The Beast’s Tale is the second novel in a two-part set. As you might have guessed from the title, it’s a graphic novel/manga retelling of the beloved Beauty and the Beast story, with one major twist. Both stories show the main character’s thoughts and perspectives on the matter. This time we get to see what the Beast thinks of everything.
Once again, I’m not going to bother summing up Beauty and the Beast – I feel like it’s a story that most readers already know all too well. Any summation I try to do will simply pale in comparison.
I’ll admit that while I was really looking forward to both Belle’s Tale and The Beast’s Tale, I was more interested in seeing what the Beast had to say about things. After all, Belle’s perspective is pretty much the dominant focus for most retellings.
Beast’s story is naturally a bit darker than its counterpart, but not to the point where it’ll alarm children. Though admittedly, it didn’t have the level of insight I had been hoping for (though, if I’m being honest, I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting).
The issues I mentioned in Belle’s Tale still exist here, though some things make more sense now. Having read both, I do wish that this was one collected story and not two separate editions. I think that would have made more sense in the long run.
Where Belle’s half is brighter and happier, the Beast’s artwork style tends to be darker – literally. There’s less color and an overall more somber impression of the style. It’s quite appropriate, all things considered, and I think I like this artwork better.
Thanks to Disney Manga and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Quirky Cats Comics 