Reviews: Graphic Novels

Gr 5 Up—In a reverse Cinderella situation, Najika brings a silver spoon with her when she enrolls in the prestigious Seika Academy in order to find the boy who comforted her with a dessert flan after the death of her parents. Najika has the ability to determine the optimal makeup and presentation of any meal after having tasted it. At school she runs afoul of Akane, a teen supermodel, and is simultaneously drawn to a pair of upper-crust brothers—fair, idolized Sora and dark, sullen Daichi. Could one of them be her flan prince? Each chapter is built around something that Najika will cook over the course of the episode, usually as a way to overcome some conflict that has arisen in her attempts to navigate the stratified class structure of the school. While this is a perfectly ordinary romance manga in terms of structure and presentation, it is particularly effective in establishing character dynamics without overplaying the melodrama. This is probably due to Defilippis and Weir, a high-profile writing team in American comics who bring their subtler touch to the dialogue. Readers who showed up for the love triangle may also find themselves compelled to try out the diverse dishes, for which recipes are included.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 6 Up— The Merlin Prophecy brings to illustrated life the first bit of Cabot's Avalon High (HarperCollins, 2006). When King Arthur fell, the Order of the Bear rose to track each generation's incarnation of him. Now Merlin, otherwise known as Mr. Morton, has found a modern Arthur in Will, the captain of the football team at Avalon High. And it's up to new girl Ellie, otherwise known as the Lady of the Lake, to make sure that he survives an attack by his half-brother Marco, otherwise known as Mordred. Throw in Lance, his girlfriend Jennifer, and mean Morgan, and the round table is nearly complete. Coronado uses more of a traditional black-and-white comic-book format than a true Japanese-style manga (think Archie, not Oh My Goddess!). Though covering just a small bit of the novel, this book is a must for libraries with the usual wealth of Cabot fans.—Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA

Gr 7–10—Young adult author Castellucci makes her graphic-novel debut with this quirky comic. Jane's parents relocate to the suburbs when she's caught in a bomb attack in Metro City. Bored and lonely in her new town and school, the teen is thrilled when she meets three other girls named Jane, all of them as out of place as she is. They form a secret club, the Plain Janes, and decide to liven up the town with art. Some people like their work, but most are frightened, and the local police call the Plain Janes' work "art attacks." Castellucci gives each girl a distinct personality, and spirited, compassionate Main Jane is especially captivating. Rugg's drawings aren't in superhero or manga style, but resemble the more spare, clean style of alternative comics creators such as Dan Clowes and Craig Thompson. A thoughtful look at the pressures to conform and the importance of self-expression, this is also a highly accessible read. Regular comics readers will enjoy it, but fans of soul-searching, realistic young adult fiction should know about it as well.—Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 4 Up—In the style of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series (Bantam), Pirates allows readers to control where the story goes, using both fairly lengthy prose and comic-book-style pages to move it along. The medium works well with the second-person narration, and Witt's illustrations provide an excellent reflection of the tone created by the Fonteses. The only downside to the story is the lack of happy endings; in many instances, "you" end up either dead or mourning the loss of a parent. One possibility leaves the story completely open-ended. Where variations on the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series are popular, this is sure to be a hit.—Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Gr 9 Up—In a futuristic world, a battle is raging between humans and Dracules, a murderous viral race of monsters. Some people are immune to the "D Virus," which will change a healthy person into a Dracule; these people are part of VIUS, an elite squad that fights to save humans from extinction. Leila, an eager young VIUS recruit, is prepared to do whatever is necessary to help eradicate the Dracules, but also has a deeper agenda. She seeks possession of a dragon's eye, a mystical object that grants its owner invincibility. When she is assigned to the prestigious VIUS Squad Zero, she meets a group as determined as she, and they, too, all seem to have hidden agendas. Packed with cinematic action, longstanding vendettas, and infectious monsters, Dragon Eye should appeal to most manga readers. Presenting a rather complex and detailed plot, it never completely stays within one genre. For example, this volume never hastens to poke fun at itself or take itself too seriously; when Leila and her squad face a super Dracule—a "Level 2 Darkness Hued Bird"—the monster resembles a giant chicken and is much more comical than horrifying. This sci-fi offering should have fairly broad appeal.—Jennifer Feigelman, Goshen Public Library and Historical Society, NY

Gr 7 Up—Anya has worked hard to move up from trade school to college-track high school to accomplish her goal of playing high school sports. Rejected by the official basketball and soccer teams, she decides to form a coed soccer team of her own, complete with gothic uniforms. A mysterious boy from her past, a trial game for official school recognition, and old friends and new enemies flesh out the plot. The first of three volumes, this might be the beginning of a new trend: OGL (Original German Language) manga. The story brings with it a new culture, school, and grading system, but teens will easily be able to relate to the German characters. The novel is part sports manga, part shojo school story, with more emphasis placed on relationships and fashion than sports. The characters are well drawn, but the background art is often starkly sparse. A good option for libraries seeking short manga series, which are especially rare in the sports manga genre.—Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library

Gr 6 Up—This is one of the publisher's many recent anthologies that attempts to bridge the time line from the cheerful Golden Age versions of their characters to their contemporary incarnations. The difficulty with this, as the introduction straightforwardly acknowledges, is that DC's superhero characters have all been reset and recontextualized for a contemporary audience. So while this book begins with the first official meeting of Batman and Superman, another story of their first encounter, this one post-reboot, appears halfway through the volume. This is a jarring shift in both established history and tone, as the previous half of the volume consists of tales of chummy collaboration between the two heroes. The post-reboot stories begin as solemn and pensive, but the volume closes with a welcome madcap adventure, a deliberately antic retelling of the story that opens the volume. The book is hard to classify in terms of its intended audience. On the one hand, it contains valuable historical comics that would otherwise be unavailable to today's readers, but on the other, the substance and tone of the earlier stories are so radically different from modern comics that they emphasize their datedness. However, the final story in the volume works so much better when one can also see its historical context. There's an interesting jumble of talent here, but perhaps the scope covered prevents these stories from feeling as great as the publisher claims they are.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 2–4—Eek and Ack, twins from the Great Goo Galaxy, are out to conquer Earth. After their annoying sister tattles on them for trying to blow it up, their dad instructs them to find a more peaceful means for taking over the planet. Eek comes up with a foolproof plan, and the twins begin to collect snottle bugs, which are to be used to cover Earth in green ooze, but that idea gets them into a huge mess. The art takes full advantage of the silly situation when the boys' creations come to life. In the second book, Jimmy Sniffles and his superpowered nose return to fight the evil Dr. Von Snotenstein. This time, however, Jimmy has a cold, and his medicine has zapped his sense of smell. This leaves the perfect opening for the evil doctor to take over the city with his awful Snot-Bots. Luckily, Jimmy comes up with a way to thwart him, and the villain is defeated—for now. The cartoons are bold and captivating, and the gross humor will surely bring in even the most reluctant of readers.—Erika Qualls, Ela Area Public Library District, Lake Zurich, IL

Gr 4 Up—When Redwall Abbey is attacked by Cluny the rat's army, Matthias the mouse follows the example of Martin the Warrior and becomes a hero. Fans of the novel will want to see if villains like Cluny the Scourge and Asmodeus Poisonteeth live up to their imaginations, while new readers will enjoy visiting Redwall for the first time. The adaptation of the novel is excellent; even this condensed form captures the spirit and the language of the original. The graphic-novel format makes the action accessible to younger readers, who will be able to join the ranks of fans who love Matthias the mouse, Constance the badger, and the rest of the Redwall supporters. The story is a page-turner, and the detailed black-and-white drawings capture both the passion and the pathos. Characters on both sides are injured and killed; the violence is realistic but not graphic. By the end of the book, readers will be cheering for Matthias as he uses both his brawn and his brains to defeat his enemies and become the champion of Redwall.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 7 Up—The mystique of a magical, feudal Japan is the theme of this new series. Kantarou is a young folklorist who is also studying supernatural beings, or youkai, and "exterminating" them. A mysterious young woman hires him and takes him into the bucolic countryside to a shrine. She remarks that her parents were once the caretakers, and that her fiancé recently assaulted her, probably because he is demon-possessed. A centuries-old demon hunter named Haruka appears elsewhere, hypnotically chanting his spells in an ancient language. Occasionally, his chanting carries on for several pages, which, combined with the action on the page, makes for a thrilling experience. A "Notes" section reveals how complex the story really is, and it is apparent that quite a lot may have been lost in translation. There are few stock manga characters such as rail-thin older boys or ethereally lovely young women; instead, there is action and fighting—demons being killed, spells cast, etc. The artwork is all black and white, as usual for this genre. A well-produced manga and already a series in Japan, Tactics will likely catch on if the story grows in the succeeding volumes.—John Leighton, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 5 Up—The follow-up to the critically successful Kampung Boy (Roaring Brook, 2006), this volume spans an equal number of years but with a less-successful focus. When Mat is 10, his family moves from the kampung to the town of Ipoh, and he has to adjust to the new environment. He meets Frankie, a Chinese boy his age, and is introduced to American rock-and-roll and mild rebellion. Readers then transition to 1968 where Mat is a well-acculturated teen, balancing being cool and getting decent grades, and is attracted to the prettiest girl in town. This volume strays from anecdote to wistful remembrance without any real sense of direction. While the large, silent depictions of the town, burgeoning with nascent industry and Westernization, are atmospheric and quite informative to one who has the visual literacy to decode them as historical depictions, the narration provides readers with almost no helpful context for interpretation. It finds itself content to flit between amusing moments without any real development, save for nods to the fact that Mat is a talented artist—which, it is implied, eventually allowed the author to bring readers this volume. Sweet but meandering, the visual details and charming cartooning fail to provide sufficient cogent substance to make this a successful sequel.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 2–6—Combining the appeal of a graphic novel and the readability of an easy reader, the Lawries have created an engaging series for struggling readers. "Slam" Duncan and his friends, downhill mountain-bike racers, star in these fast-paced stories. In Cheat Challenge, Slam accidentally stumbles on the map to a new racecourse. While he keeps the information secret from the other Ridge Riders to prevent cheating, their practice sessions on the wrong course put them in danger and Slam in a quandary. In Fear 3.1, the protagonist must conquer his fear of heights to save a friend. Similarly, he races to save the day once again in Snow Bored. Finally, in White Lightning, it's Slam's turn to be rescued by one of the Ridge Riders just in time for the big race. All four titles have full-color illustrations that are less graphic than the "graphic novel" stamp on the cover implies, but speech bubbles and sound-effect bursts help to blur the line. The action-driven narratives zip along like a downhill racecourse despite flat characterizations. Endings are vague and may leave less-experienced readers wondering if there is a page missing at the end. A glossary, a kid-safe Internet site, discussion questions, and writing prompts provide support for low-level readers but also give the books a distinct "school" feel." Despite the series limitations, kids will clamor for more.—H. H. Henderson, Heritage Middle School, Deltona, FL

Gr 6–9—Sixteen-year-old Misako has been rejected by her first serious crush but is thrilled to learn that she's been accepted as an exchange student in Missouri. The Japanese teen quickly makes friends with her American "sister," Natalie, and Natalie's crew of clean-cut punk rock kids. At a concert one night, she literally runs into a cute boy, and he becomes her new, harmless obsession. In Wisconsin for a summer puppet camp, Misako goes to another concert and discovers that the performer is that same guy. Zac and Misako become friends, but Misako wants more, and her romantic feelings threaten to ruin her summer and her friendships back in Missouri, including a possible romance with an attainable boy. This stand-alone graphic novel has black-and-white graphics that resemble Marvel's "Runaways" series while the story line is reminiscent of a less violent "Boys over Flowers" series (VIZ Media). With clean text and a few fairly chaste kisses, this is a good fit for middle school libraries.—Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA

K-Gr 4—Buzz Beaker, boy scientist extraordinaire, has met a challenge that can't be resolved with his microscope. Her name is Sarah Bellum, "Certified girl genius. With an IQ of 187.6." Then her extra-extra credit project—the cosmic copier—backfires and fills the school with over a thousand "copies" of her pet bat, Bobo. Yes, Sarah has made a "boo-boo with Bobo." Only Buzz can save the day. Cartoon cells frame Buzz's world. Subtle color shading brings depth to digitally finished illustrations and draws readers beyond the confines of the frames to enhance both the comic expressions and the action of the text. Zany art; engaging characters with exaggerated, off-center features; and a problem to solve make this great fun for the younger set as well as reluctant readers.—Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX

K-Gr 4—Fans of Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery (Walker, 2005) will welcome this new adventure and clamor for more. Here, the captain and his crew must track down the space pirates who have raided the Imperial Palace and stolen planet Jurassica's jewels. Blasting off on the Megatooth, they follow the pirate vessel's ion trail through space. The pirates fire tons of molten lead at their starship, which lands hard on a barren moon. There, Captain Raptor discovers a mysterious castaway who fixes their shattered plutonic servoscope, but is Bloody Bart Scalawag—with a hook for a hand and a pirate's salty vocabulary—friend or foe? This graphic novel comes alive with O'Brien's watercolor and gouache illustrations. The action moves quickly in small frames dense with realistic dinosaurs in armor and the inner workings of spaceships. Dramatic chase and battle scenes are depicted in full-page illustrations or full-bleed spreads. The writing is melodramatic and true to form with frequent cliff-hangers ("Could this be the end of Captain Raptor?"), sound effects ("BLAM! BLAM! BOOM!"), and key phrases in bold typeface. Few readers—reluctant or otherwise—will be able to resist this clever mix of dinosaurs, pirates, and science fiction.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

Gr 8 Up—Set in the already absurd Dungeon universe, this book collects two humorous stories that exist without any additional contribution to the overall saga, making it a great stand-alone volume but not the best introduction to the series. The first tale concerns a theme-park dungeon being built next to the eponymous setting, and the competition that arises between the real thing and its family-friendly knockoff. The second story involves the last wish of a genie's lamp, time travel, and fart jokes, as well as the interesting speciesism that crops up in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals. Both tales involve the fabulously macabre sense of humor that characterizes the series, with a childlike fascination with displays of gore and social commentary. The line work is raw and energetic, and may not appeal to those used to the clean compositions of American and Japanese comics, but after the initial immersion, there is much to like here. The character design is grossly comic, and the level of variety and detail that goes into populating the world with bizarre monsters is both endearing and fascinating.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 7 Up—Tan captures the displacement and awe with which immigrants respond to their new surroundings in this wordless graphic novel. It depicts the journey of one man, threatened by dark shapes that cast shadows on his family's life, to a new country. The only writing is in an invented alphabet, which creates the sensation immigrants must feel when they encounter a strange new language and way of life. A wide variety of ethnicities is represented in Tan's hyper-realistic style, and the sense of warmth and caring for others, regardless of race, age, or background, is present on nearly every page. Young readers will be fascinated by the strange new world the artist creates, complete with floating elevators and unusual creatures, but may not realize the depth of meaning or understand what the man's journey symbolizes. More sophisticated readers, however, will grasp the sense of strangeness and find themselves participating in the man's experiences. They will linger over the details in the beautiful sepia pictures and will likely pick up the book to pore over it again and again.—Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Gr 4 Up—This collection of 12 short, interconnected stories will delight readers. Tiny child-king Ethelbert is spoiled and difficult, expecting to have his every whim fulfilled—or else. He's bored by books ("Didn't a single one of my ancestors every play video games?") and totally selfish ("I just passed a new law that says I can win all of the game shows"). He's rude to the prime minister, nanny, butler, cook, and everyone else. In the end, though, he becomes a hero. The dynamic cartoons are filled with details and riddled with humor; most pages have between six and eight small pictures. The text, all in dialogue balloons, is equally tiny. This title will have wide appeal. It's young and accessible enough for elementary-grade kids, but teens will also be charmed by the rascally king.—Esther Keller, I.S. 278, Marine Park, NY

Gr 3 Up—Dog wants a friend. Dog builds a robot. The two go to the library to get movies, and they make popcorn. They go to the beach, and the dog encourages the robot to play with him in the water. Robot is unable to move afterward because he has rusted stiff, and the dog finally leaves him there on his blanket on the sand. Seasons pass, and both Robot and Dog reflect on what happened, and both are changed because of this experience. The canine goes through a series of friendships that are unfulfilling in different ways: a duck goes south for the winter, a snowman melts, and the anteaters expect him to share their lunches. Meanwhile, the robot is lying on the beach, immobile but awake. He dreams of being rescued, of making new friends, of reuniting with Dog, of never having entered the water in the first place. While he dreams, his body is covered by sand and snow, is used for parts by scavengers, and even serves as a nesting place for a bird. This almost wordless (and dialogue-free) graphic novel is by turns funny and poignant. The cartoon artwork is clear and easy to understand. Varon uses a muted palette of earth tones with great skill. This book is like those board games that can be appreciated by anyone from 8 to 80. It is a quick read, but it will stay with readers long after they put it down.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 4–6—In the 1960s, the U.S. decided to use monkeys, then chimps to collect their biological data in space. Eventually, the field was narrowed to one "lucky" chimp named Ham. The dangers he faced were great, but he made it up to space and back down alive, becoming a sort of hero. This graphic novel is The Right Stuff from his point of view. Ham was not always a willing participant in the testing, and many of his chimp colleagues died in painful ways on machines built to emulate the rigors of space. Though the black-and-white cartoons are like Sunday-morning comics, the subject matter can be scary. The authors have done their research, but clearly have an opinion. They take liberties with the story by drawing some of Ham's dreams, suggesting that NASA's animal testing program is cruel. Though there's a huge cast of characters, from scientists to politicians to chimps, the story is easy to follow. A paragraph about the Save the Chimps organization is included. The violence and occasionally graphic detail make this book most appropriate for older elementary students.—Sadie Mattox, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA

Gr 10 Up—In this continuation of the series that imagines life in Britain after War of the Worlds, photographer Charlotte Hemmings is given an assignment to check out the Martian war zone by tabloid editor Bernard shortly before he is brutally murdered. Aging adventurer Robert Autumn makes sure she gets to complete the assignment. Flashbacks fill in the story of how historical Britain got the advanced technology depicted as well as the current political intrigue. Charlotte has a grand adventure, but also uncovers some secrets about the Martian war that the government would prefer stay covered. The story is drawn in full-color adventure-comic style, and the dichotomies between 1940s London and the technological advances of the Martian world are well done. This graphic novel could extend appreciation of War of the Worlds, but it also stands on its own.—Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD

Gr 10 Up—The Bender clan—nearly silent mother, German-speaking father, voluble adult son, and flirtatious adult daughter—arrives in Kansas in the early 1870s. On the prairie, along the Osage Trail that travelers take from northeast to central south in their new state, the family builds a combination dwelling, inn, and grocery. It's just a small frame house really, with family quarters curtained off from the larger area of the building where the public stops in for provisions, a meal, or perhaps a night's rest. There's a basement underneath, with a large, flat stone serving as its floor. Travelers in the vicinity are disappearing, but for a long time no one realizes it. As ever, Geary's details are well researched and presented in suspenseful, Victorian-like perspective, moody with minimalist detail. Period social concepts are folded into the storytelling, including the use of the term "savages" by a visiting missionary who manages to escape alive when he senses movement behind the curtain partition-the movement of Mr. Bender passing, carrying a small sledgehammer. True-crime fans will enjoy this book and history teachers may find inspiration for joining research to compelling storytelling.—Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Gr 10 Up—Thunderbolt Jaxon is a character from British comics who debuted in 1949, and his story has been successfully updated for today's teens. On a hunt for buried treasure, Jack, Billy, and Saffron discover powerful relics belonging to Norse gods. One of them is a belt, and when Jack puts it on, he becomes Thor. He finds out that he is one of the powerful and immortal Aesir, who once ruled the Earth as gods and have no sympathy for mortals. Jack must find a way to use Thor's powers to protect humans, not harm them. There is plenty here to appeal to fans of superhero comics. The heroes and villains are hulking and muscled, and there are numerous fight scenes, with some graphic violence. Jack, Billy, and Saffron are vivid characters with real-life issues: Jack has an abusive stepfather, Billy has cancer, and Saffron clashes with her traditional parents. Muted colors; striking shading; and complex, dynamic layouts enhance the drama.—Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 10 Up—An unknown number of tennis-ball-sized spores falls to Earth, each containing an organism intent on taking over the brain of a human being, metamorphosing its head into a mutable alien killer. Shinichi is attacked by one of these parasites but uses a tourniquet to stop its progress in his arm. The next morning he finds that his right hand has become a sentient creature that requires his circulation system to continue living. The creature is eventually named Migi and exists in a curious balance with Shinichi, as it needs him to survive but was originally supposed to kill him and use his body to kill still more people. Migi's partial possession brings Shinichi into contact with other parasites that have successfully taken over their hosts, and who are involved in mass murders of various degrees of subtlety. The light horror tone of the book allows for mild gore and successful suspense. The thoughtful plot developments are accompanied by workmanlike artwork, effective enough with the xenomorphic bits, but lacking flair in executing the more mundane situations. The closing preview for the second volume makes it seem as if the artist has matured, however, and the story's potential is likely to leave readers wanting further exploration.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 10 Up—Boy meets girl. Meteor hits. Dead come back to life. Dead eat living. Boy saves girl. Girl becomes zombie. Boy becomes zombie. Boy and girl eat living together, and exist happily ever after. Jason uses stark, stylized black-and-white line art to portray this rehash of George Romero's film Night of the Living Dead (1968). The sparingly drawn anthropomorphized animals are reminiscent of 1930s cartoon characters such as Felix the Cat. Designed like a silent film, the sequential storytelling through visual panels flows quickly with few words. Jason's cartoon characters, combined with the book's gore, horror, and romance, should appeal to certain young adult sensibilities. The book's brevity and points of comparison with cult movies and pulp fiction add to its worth in graphic-novel collections.—Jodi Mitchell, Durham County Library, NC

Gr 10 Up—Jensen, a New Yorker, went through a lot in the span of a few short days: the turmoil of 9/11, losing his apartment, getting dumped by his girlfriend, and getting fired from his job. Instead of falling into a depression, he saw an opportunity. Dubbing himself a professional hobo, he bought an Ameripass and journeyed from New York City to Seattle and back, making stops in just about every major city along the way. He used the Internet to find people to stay with, and he retells the stories of the Gen X slackers who hosted him. Jensen shies away from idealizing anything or anyone, but gives odd anecdotes about those he met. Jensen went through plenty of adventures of his own as he discovered the local color of each city. Slightly edgy in content, with a number of references to alcohol, drugs, and sex, the story is best suited for mature readers who like the same free-wheeling spirit of Jack Kerouac's On the Road (Viking, 1957). With its hard outlines and slightly cartoon faces, the drawing style is deceptively simple. Subtle details are skillfully worked into the background, lending his adventure-memoir an odd sense of realism. Originally published online as a serial comic, Red Eye, Black Eye lacks the large narrative arc with a strong ending many readers crave, but lovers of well-crafted indie-comics like Craig Thompson's Blankets (Top Shelf, 2003) will find much to enjoy here.—Matthew L. Moffett, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, VA

Gr 10 Up—Whether from the Brigitte Nielsen movie in the 1980s, her continually random cameos in any number of Marvel books, or the recent success of her own series, the fiery-haired barbarian known as Red Sonja will be familiar to many readers of fantasy comics. Claw the Unconquered, though, has much less of a following. In many ways he is DC's own version of Conan but with one major difference: due to a curse, his right hand has been turned into a demonic claw. Sonja and Claw meet by chance when he is moments away from ending his own life. The two join forces when bandits ambush them, and they then journey to discover the identity of the leader of the marauders. Layman assumes that most readers know Red Sonja already, so he focuses on developing Claw's past through a series of flashbacks. The backstory becomes vitally important as the climax hinges on his ability to maintain control and not give in to the violent urges he constantly feels to kill everyone around him—including Red Sonja. With Claw's über-enhanced muscles and Sonja's gravity-defying armored bikini, Smith's tightly drawn art shows a unique flair for well-choreographed, and sometimes gory, action scenes. Layman and Smith have created a straightforward sword-and-sorcery comic with all the trimmings, both good and bad. Fans of fantasy will love the fast pace of this sword-slashing action story.—Matthew L. Moffett, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, VA

Gr 10 Up—This cynical, twisted tale of murder and mayhem bespeaks of several genres: horror, noir, you-think-you-know-whodunit, and road trip. Detective Rene Pluriel traverses dark alleys, dank hotel rooms, and sinister country settings populated by seamy characters in order to interview mental-patient acquaintances of the serial killer he is tracking. Woven throughout are occasionally confusing backstories, including a recurring motif of an abused little boy locked in a dark room, that leave readers wondering if something was lost in the translation. The large, stand-alone black-and-white panels of exquisitely rendered, highly detailed scratchboard art capture an R. Crumb-like drawing style but lack Crumb's humor and humanity. The dark, scratchy drawings with their highly stylized, sleazy, self-possessed characters and bleak, moody settings further accentuate the dark nail-biter of a narrative. Violence and exploitive sex throughout make this a title that will have appeal to a segment of older teen readers of adult graphic novels.—Jodi Mitchell, Durham County Library, NC

Gr 10 Up—After being hit by a truck in a not-so-accidental "accident," Hiro is resurrected as a servant to a princess blood warrior who periodically feeds him doses of her immortal enchanted blood. Both indebted and mysteriously drawn to Hime, Hiro becomes a willing servant to her and dies repeatedly (only to be resurrected each time) in attempts to save her. Together they fight a cadre of murderous monsters, including wrathful werewolves, homicidal invisible men, and legions of fish-men, as readers are granted glimpses into Hime's mysterious past. A fairly typical manga offering, Princess has a healthy dose of action, violence, comedy, and horror wrapped neatly into a semi-sociopathic, supernatural, chainsaw-wielding-goth-Lolita main character. Mitsunaga's art is sharp and distinct, utilizing clean lines as opposed to a more cartoonlike style. As an opening volume, there is still much to be ascertained about the main characters, which leaves them somewhat flat. Due to the violence and close-ups of buxom (though clothed) characters and panty shots, this would be best suited to older high school students. Heavy on action and light on substance, it's an optional purchase for most libraries.—Jennifer Feigelman, Goshen Public Library and Historical Society, NY

Gr 10 Up—This blood-suckingly fun collection will appeal to the teenage Goths and Emos of the world. It has sexy vampires, girls locked in towers, caddish men, and decaying bodies being eaten by rats. Ann Radcliffe, Jane Austen, and Edgar Allan Poe are just a few of the authors included, and the adaptations are met with varying success. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's "Carmilla" is masterfully retold by Rod Lott and illustrated by Lisa K. Weber in a Tim Burtonesque style, and will be appreciated by The Nightmare before Christmas and Corpse Bride crowd. At 55 pages, Radcliffe's "The Mysteries of Udolpho" is the longest story in the collection, and while Antonella Caputo's retelling is competent (given the novel's original length of more than 600 pages), Carlo Vergara's art is less captivating. Poe's "Oval Portrait" is a short but sweetly creepy tale, but Myla Jo Closser's story of an angst-ridden Airedale awaiting doggy heaven seems completely out of place here due to its simple drawings and odd plot. Austen's clever satire of gothic novels seen in Northanger Abbey does not really come across in the graphic-novel format, but nevertheless is an interesting story. The book doesn't provide enough information for students studying gothic literature, but for fans of the band My Chemical Romance, it's just the thing.—Jennifer Waters, Red Deer Public Library, Alberta, Canada

Gr 10 Up—With a cover depicting a menacing portrait of an old man, House is forbidding from the outset. The wordless story begins with an eerie calm that is reminiscent of the opening scenes of a horror movie. Tension builds as readers wait to find out what will go wrong. Three teens meet at an abandoned mansion in the woods and explore dusty hallways and moldering rooms. Two of the friends kiss, and the awkward discomfort and isolation of the third add to the unsettling air of the adventure. The house slowly gets the better of the explorers as one by one they are separated, injured, and become lost in a maze of dark passageways. At first glance, their problems do not seem insurmountable, so their sudden change of fortune is almost as disquieting as the unfortunate result of their curiosity. The illustrations begin as a few black lines on a field of white, gradually becoming darker as the scenario becomes more grim. The dark shadows trap the characters on the page, and the final scenes are almost entirely black, with only pinpricks of light illuminating the lost friends. Recommend this one to fans of cult horror movies and horror novels, and to those who prefer their graphic novels wordless.—Heidi Dolamore, San Mateo County Library, CA