Graphic Novels

Gr 3-6–This odd collection of cartoon fairy tales may have trouble finding an audience. Berner doesn’t shy away from the violence inherent in many of these tales, and her choices are eclectic at best. She includes “The Frog Prince,” “Mother Holle,” “Tom Thumb,” “Rapunzel,” “Jorinda and Jorindel,” “Lucky Hans,” “Hans the Hedgehog,” and “Little Red Cap.” The language is modernized, and all but the last two stories are forced to fit into exactly five pages, sometimes allowing for large boxes and other times giving the pages a cramped, busy look. The illustrations, vaguely reminiscent of the work of Quentin Blake, utilize bright colors and are cartoonish in a modern, homely way. The text and visual stories are truncated to the point of confusion in some cases. Some questionable depictions–a character smoking, a naked character shown from the back, characters in bed together–may cause problems in some collections, although everything is PG-13. A visual thread between each story ties the collection together nicely. On the first page, Berner depicts the back of an armchair with someone reading in it and animals behind it, listening. The image reappears between each story with additional animals listening. Finally, the reader reveals itself to be a wolf, and the animals flee, except for one mouse. On the endpaper, the mouse is in the chair reading the book. Libraries with a high demand for fractured fairy tales and graphic novels may want to add this anthology. Others can pass.–Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

Gr 4-6–Galactically speaking, Stone Rabbit orbits in difficulty and subject matter somewhere between Dav Pilkey’s Ricky Ricotta and Emmanuel Guibert’s “Sardine” series (Roaring Brook/First Second). Early in this graphic novel, the main character meets his twin from another dimension and falls victim to the classic tope–being mistaken for your alter ego from another planet’s plotline. Fortunately, in making his escape from the aliens looking to bring his doppelganger to justice, he discovers that the controls of the giant robot of doom he pilots have the same controls as an arcade fighter. Not just any arcade fighter either, but the Robot Fighter XXVII on which he’s spent many hours honing his skills as a video gamer. The action is fast and furious, and it may be difficult for some readers to figure out what’s happening. The writing’s main flaw could be its main point of appeal for some readers–slang, video game terminology, and frequent repetition of Stone Rabbit’s favorite response to trouble, “Crudmonkeys!” Reminiscent of Nickelodeon’s Ren and Stimpy, this book is heavy on colorful graphics, with characters and worlds alike having typically exaggerated and abstracted features. This is a brand of silly targeting middle graders in particular, and hits its mark with laser precision.–Sarah Provence, Churchill Road Elementary School, McLean, VA

Gr 5-9–For readers wanting a small shiver down their spines, these books will suffice. Stoker’s Dracula is succinct and well edited. The art is stale and tame and might titillate, but it won’t produce any nightmares. The adaptation in Dorian Gray can be clunky at times but it covers the main points of the story. The beautiful and youthful Dorian Gray is never very attractive in the illustrations, but the decaying painting will appropriately disgust young readers. The story in The Invisible Man is heavily edited, and the action is crammed into a few pages, but the scenes in which the Invisible Man is on the loose are intense. The illustrations are fairly detailed and include some graphic scenes of blood and a nearly naked Invisible Man. All three books include information about the authors and a glossary. There are better adaptations of these novels available, but these titles provide slim and chilling reads that give a taste of the actual stories for reluctant readers.–Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT

Gr 9 Up–Artificial intelligences declare war on humans after finding them inefficient and unfit to use robots as labor. After one killing machine uses Burn, a half-dead boy, to partially rebuild itself, the gestalt cyborg organism is also targeted for robotic destruction while simultaneously mistrusted by the human survivors. Burn presents readers with a series of choppy, inchoate scenes rendered in a loose pencil style that increasingly undermines the robotic designs and any tactile solidity of the illustrations. But more unfortunate than the incongruous look of the work is the utter lack of any recognizable human action, interaction, or dialogue. The characters don’t ever act in a believable manner, making the already-difficult scenarios more unrealistic and impossible to connect with on an intellectual or emotional level. It’s disappointing that these classic science-fiction ideas have been given such short shrift in execution.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 4 Up–Emily and Navin return, in a fight to save their mother from a toxic poison. The evil Elf King is out to get Emily, however, since she is one of the only Stonekeepers left who can stop his reign of terror. He sends his disappointing son, Prince Trellis, and Luger, one of his most wicked cronies, out to find her, with the threat that if Trellis doesn’t kill her, he’ll be killed himself. Emily, Navin, and their band of robotic protectors set out for the city of Kanalis to locate a doctor who can cure their mom. While there they encounter Leon, a bounty hunter whose mission in life is to defeat the Elf King. This band of heroes learns that their desired cure is the fruit of the gadoba tree, found only on deadly Demon’s Head Mountain. Emily, Leon, and her guard Miskit set out for the mountain, with Emily practicing control over her amulet along the way. This book ends with a thrilling fight and the promise of more adventures to come. Stunning illustration spreads open each new section, and the robots and animal residents of Kanalis provide a soft and sometimes humorous counterpoint to the action-packed story. This book will be extremely satisfying to fans of the first volume.–Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, VA

K-Gr 4–Sam, a telepathic dog with a yearning for adventure, and her two human friends, Jennie and Beth, go on a family trip to Sagawa Lake. Once there, the cryptic warnings of a local coot, a hidden diary, and a spooky cave combine to cause the friends to believe that the lake’s island is populated with prehistoric frog monsters, and they set out to prove their theory. This graphic-novel adaptation of the sixth book in Labatt’s “Sam, Dog Detective” series (Kids Can) is quite successful. Rioux’s figure work is very good, with excellent body language, sufficient dollops of realistic detail, and good comic timing and expression. Sam is sufficiently anthropomorphized to benefit from these aspects of the illustration, which makes her come across as cute and impetuous, whereas in the chapter books she can seem more self-interested and petty. In fact, some of Sam’s dialogue that catered to her more selfish or crabby impulses has been cut from the adaptation, which serves to make her more appealing. While the conclusion to the mystery is a bit of a cheat, with information that could not have been anticipated suddenly presented to readers and the trio, the book is more about the characters’ impulse to make adventure and entertainment for themselves. That rings true, as do the family dynamics.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 2-4–In this sequel to Sticky Burr: Adventures in Burrwood Forest (Candlewick, 2007), the narrator is Scurvy Burr, the naysayer in that book. Annoyed at how the village thinks more highly of Sticky Burr than of him, Scurvy makes a deal with exiled Burweena and her insect army to take over Burr Village. Scurvy’s grumpy dislike of the idolatry surrounding Sticky Burr, and his general feeling that he’s unappreciated by the burr community, is reminiscent of Oscar the Grouch’s personality and provides an enjoyable, if unreliable, perspective. This book could offer a useful lesson for children about inclusion and communication, but Scurvy Burr’s motivations seem to be simply that he’s championing that which is properly prickly, or appropriately burrlike. After his inevitable betrayal by Burweena, he doesn’t learn that being different is okay or that he’s part of a community; he remains an unapologetic foil, unhappy with his cheerful neighbors. The mild peril of the adventure is fine, and the humor rungs true, but there may be a missed opportunity here. Impeccably cute and with high-quality production, this is a fun, if simple, pleasure.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 8 Up–In a story inspired by H. G. Wells’s The Invisible Man, Lemire creates an antihero whose exploits in the small town of Large Mouth change the life of a teen. As Vickie guides readers through the strange events involving a man who is wrapped completely in bandages, the art reveals that if he removes them, he is completely invisible. Griffen was a prominent scientist, but now he is hunted by his one-time peers and mourns the death of his wife. Vickie knows little of his inner struggle but is determined to become his friend, and to give him support until the very end. The story is a bleak one; it’s as much about the hollow growth Vickie experiences when she begins to see the world through what she imagines is Griffen’s perspective as it is about Griffen’s ultimate fall. The style is intentionally rough, minimizing the details of the predominantly black-and-white art, which is shaded with light blue in order to heighten moments of flashbacks to Griffen’s previous life, sketched entirely in blue. The setting is a small town with easily prejudiced residents, whether against the mysterious man in bandages or the town’s one African-American resident, who is a noted loner. A good selection for most collections.–Alana Joli Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Gr 5 Up–While the story of Nelson Mandela’s youth and rise to prominence is compelling and worthy of note, this graphic novel fails to take advantage of the comic-book medium. The dialogue is tedious and uninteresting. The computer-enhanced artwork is lacking in technical merit, often relying on manipulated photos, and the representations of Mandela and other notable figures are uneven. The book follows Mandela’s life from his birth in a small village to his early political years in Johannesburg, and then on to his imprisonment and eventual release. This makes for a long and at times confusing narrative. An index is included, as well as a foreword by Mandela himself, but the book would also benefit from a glossary, time line, and other edifying materials.–Douglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Library, Ontario, Canada

Gr 9 Up–Cthulhu Tales is a collection of short stories by different writers and artists covering a range of themes based on the works of H. P. Lovecraft. Unfortunately, the variety is so wide that it sometimes leads to a disjointed reading experience. Standout stories include William Messner-Loebs’s “Cthulhu House,” a hilariously evil take on reality shows like Big Brother, and Christine Boylan’s “The Elite,” which is actually closer to Lovecraft’s “The Colour Out of Space” than his Cthulhu-centric stories. While familiarity with Lovecraft’s originals will be helpful, readers can enjoy this volume without having read the others in this series. The “Fall of Cthulhu” series, on the other hand, is one story spread across several books, so readers will need to be familiar with the other volumes in order to understand the plot in Godwar. It is a long and tangled story about Lucifer breaking Cy Morgan out of Arkham Hospital and taking him to R’Lyeh, which involves going to Miskatonic University to figure out where R’Lyeh is located. Meanwhile, Abdul Alhazred has been brought back to life to write a new chapter of the Necronomicon and summon Cthulhu from the watery depths. While keeping track of this plot might lead readers to madness, the artwork in both books is a glossy full-color wonder to behold. Never have wings, tentacles, and crawling chaos looked so good.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 9 Up–Kit, 15, doesn’t have anything to do over the summer, so he begins feeding stray cats in his low-income neighborhood. This project, which becomes difficult to stop once he starts, gives him a purpose, but also gets him into trouble. The landlord complains to his single mom about all of the cats hanging around, and she takes her anger out on him. The cats are always hungry, so Kit has to start stealing food in order to feed them and makes two friends, both of whom come with their own baggage. Jess, a manga-loving girl with girlfriend potential, draws Kit as a superhero named Katman but seems unsure of her own identity. And Mrs. Miller, the “crazy cat lady” of the neighborhood, works with Kit to help take care of the strays. The actions of these characters will make thoughtful readers reexamine their ideas about friendship, loyalty, and heroism. The artwork, which begins in shades of gray, moves on to browns and reds as the story progresses, becoming more vibrant as Kit grows as a person and becomes more like the hero Jess thinks he can be.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 7 Up–This manga features two things that Japanese creators find inexplicably fascinating: girls in maid outfits and girls wearing underwear that occasionally peeks out from under their skirts. Combine this group of girls with the prince they’re supposed to defend–one who has the appearance of a 10-year-old, the maturity of a 4-year-old, and the libido of an 18-year-old–and you have a very annoying read. When his castle is attacked, his hand-picked maids lead him to safety. They go to a local shrine where, after reading the inscription that the holy weapons stored there can only be used by knights, the prince dubs the girls “The Order of the Maid” so they can use them. Cacao and Mint show promising signs of brain-cell activity, but Liquer, Bana, and Cogna spend most of their time making tea or shrieking whenever the prince gropes them or forces them to strip to their underwear. Luckily, the magical weapons don’t seem to require much natural ability on the weapon-holder’s part, so all the girls have to do is look good holding them. RAN’s artwork is well done and detailed, especially on full-page spreads as when the group watches the castle burning far below them. This is perhaps due to the fact that RAN is more established as an artist than as an author.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 5-9–K. arrives at a peculiar, isolated private school after having been raised as a pickpocket in an orphanage following the disappearance of her circus-acrobat-cum-cat-burglar father. It turns out that the only other three girls at the school are also thieves, and the instructors are part of a guild of criminals and were allies of K.’s dad–or so they hastily claim when pressed. The school is owned by her aunt, who is very ill, and the guild–“The Obtainers”–hope that the teen will help them discover lost treasure on the grounds that could pay for medical treatments and the restoration of the school. Nothing is what it seems, particularly the disappearances of K.’s classmates during heists to procure clues about the treasure. The artwork is a winning mixture of lovely and comically ugly. This dichotomy, shown in the visuals, is further evidenced in the dialogue, where the guild members are transparent and broad in their motivations and delivery, while the girls are given casual dialogue and a number of funny moments. The story is structured like a lighthearted cross between a fable and a horror film, but only ever teetering on the edge of horror without depicting it. This could have resulted in a mishmash, but Sala elegantly dances through the creepy and the sweet.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

PreS-Gr 1–Little Mouse is eager to go to the barn with his mother. He slowly and methodically gets dressed, which is quite an accomplishment for the little guy, only to be reminded, in classic noodlehead fashion, that mice don’t wear clothes. Kids will love the idea that there were teeny tiny unnecessary clothes ready for him to put on, and that he forgets all the way through his struggles. The cartoon illustrations are large and uncomplicated without being babyish, and the punch line is preceded with places for knowing giggles.–Sarah Provence, Churchill Road Elementary School, McLean, VA

Gr 3-8–Starting right off with chapter six, this volume doesn’t waste any time before continuing the narrative that began in Jellaby (Hyperion, 2008). Portia is gamely trying to have an adventure with her purple monster friend while dealing with the anxiety she feels about her missing father and the irritations caused by fellow traveler Jason. The primary story involves meeting a conjuror who may be able to help Jellaby find his way back home. Then again, something more selfish and sinister may be at hand. Done in a muted palette consisting only of pale purples, reds, and yellows, and deep blacks, Jellaby doesn’t immediately jump off the page with commercial vividness, but the storytelling is well honed, smoothly shifting gears between silent mime, poignant emotional spectacle, and brisk action. There is a lot to like here, with subtle character moments that can be appreciated intellectually by older readers (if you can get them to initially look past the character design), while younger children will respond emotionally to the cues provided by the deft, efficient line work. Charming and smart, this novel will be liked by both those looking for a surface adventure with moments of true suspense and those delving deeper for a heartfelt character piece.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 3 Up–The dynamic duo has triumphed again. No, not the caped crusader and the boy wonder, but Spiegelman and Mouly. These comics giants have worked with an advisory board (composed of other notables such as Jeff Smith of “Bone” fame) to present great comics from the 1930s through the 1960s. The entries range from single-page gags to considerably longer and more convoluted tales in sections like “Hey Kids!” and “Fantasyland.” Readers are treated to well-known characters like Scrooge McDuck along with others, such as Nutsy Squirrel and Burp the Twerp, that are now mostly forgotten. The collection finishes strongly with the comic-book version of Dr. Seuss’s Gerald McBoing Boing. The age of these comics does present a few cautions. These are faithful reproductions with the limited colors and sometimes slightly blurry text common to the comic books of yesteryear that are, perhaps, unfamiliar to the comics readers of today. These stories depict youngsters and critters from another era whose slang and forms of play are considerably different from today’s norms. Other elements that may give some pause include a few instances of smoking and the use of “nerve medicine,” and, in Scrooge’s “Tralla La” story, yellow ducks with slants for eyes. Cautionary notes aside, this glorious collection will be enjoyed by most children and many adults as well. For something wacky yet more portable and contemporary, try Matthew Loux’s “Salt Water Taffy” series (Oni).–Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Gr 1-4–The humor in this graphic novel hits every note: there are pratfalls and funny expressions, but readers will also appreciate the author’s dry wit as a sheltered housecat trains for his big adventure in outer space. Binky, who thinks insects are aliens because they have big eyes and can fly, builds a rocket ship in his litter box out of household items, but then decides that he cannot abandon his beloved humans. Loads of onomatopoeia but relatively little text on each page make this a satisfying choice for early-chapter-book readers. Page layouts are varied yet consistently easy to follow. A palette of rich grays with accents of brighter colors gives the book a sophisticated look. Sweet and clever, and for those kids who disdain sweet and clever, there is also farting.–Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD

Gr 3-6–This beautifully packaged reissue of a classic 1960s comic stars Melvin Monster, who is having trouble being bad. He is friendly and polite, longs to go to school, would rather kiss his mother goodnight than bite her, and is a big disappointment to Mummy and Baddy. Full of clever gags and puns, this is an entertaining read, and ever-cheerful Melvin is an endearing protagonist. The brief episodes are reprinted to show their age: the pages look like yellowed newsprint. However, the lively drawings and cheerful colors do not make the comic appear dated, and children of today should enjoy it just as much as its original fans did.–Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 2-5–This series is purported to help children with math skills. Friends from a martial-arts school use easy-to-see clues to solve mysteries. In The Lost Key, the students count shelves, multiply the number of jump ropes and mitts, and subtract the number of pairs of shorts they have to determine what is missing from the school. The math is too simple for the audience that might pick up the books. The artwork is vaguely mangalike but more cartoonish and looks as though it was drawn quickly with spare detail. The stories are thin and dull, and most children will solve the mysteries long before the conclusions.–Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT

Gr 2-5–Kit and his friend Hoff have just spent a fun evening digging for treasure in the backyard when Kit is reminded that it’s his mother’s birthday. He has no money, but he wants to get her something awesome–or at least come up with a better gift than his twin sisters. In his quest to make or acquire the best present ever, Kit finds that fanciful plans might be fun, but not always practical. Long on charm, the childish spirit of Kit and Hoff is infectious, and their ramshackle inventions are recognizable as the products of real, homespun imagination. Their brashness will also feel familiar as it leads them to failure and subsequently to good learning experiences. However, the art is one-note, as the characters have only the most rudimentary range of expression. Their mouths are open in a constant gleeful gape, whether shouting, talking normally, or yelping in fear. A penciled interlude that’s meant to be drawn by Kit and Hoff actually exhibits a greater range of character animation, as well as an energy that’s often missing from the stiff composition of the rest of the story. One hopes the aesthetics won’t prevent readers from taking a chance on an inviting, enthusiastic, absurdist tale.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 7 Up–Scientist Alec Holland is killed while working on a bio-restorative formula, which subsequently combines his corpse with the flora of a nearby swamp, reanimating him as a monstrous swamp thing. Pursued by his former friend, government-agent Matt Cable, Alec wanders through various traditional horror scenarios, confronting updated versions of Dr. Moreau, Frankenstein’s monster, werewolves, and little green men. Wein’s episodic stories are intelligent homages to classic gothic tales, and Wrightson’s artwork is suitably creepy, with rich shadows and a keen sense of caricature. The introduction and closing sections are newly anthologized, with the core 10 issues having been collected before (May 2006). The transitions in tone and character from the original eight-page version of the story to the last three issues as drawn by Redondo are interesting, as each is a step closer to portraying Swamp Thing as a superhero, a line that blurs still further with a guest appearance by Batman. The book is beautifully produced, but the shifts in tone that are exhibited by the newly included material make the volume more whimsical and of historical interest than the core horror narrative that was more accessibly presented in the previous reprint collection.–Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH

Gr 5 Up–This manga begins with a four-page, full-color overview of the series’ premise: that the queen on the planet of Vermonia transforms four ministers into different creatures and sends them into the Turtle Realm to safeguard the wisdom of their world. She also creates four “veras of her spirit” and sends them to a distant planet to be reborn as warriors. This leads to some confusion, as readers may wonder if the ministers, the warriors, and the “veras” are all one and the same. Years later on Earth, teenagers Doug, Jim, Mel, and Naomi spend most of their time arguing with one another and talking about music and skateboarding, so readers will probably hope that they’re not the ones in charge of guarding the wisdom of another world. It isn’t until halfway through the book that Doug meets minister Raitetsu (the silver tiger) in a dream. The fact that Raitetsu asks Doug to free him so that they can join together just adds to the confusion. Quest for the Silver Tiger features teenagers who say things like “way cool”; an evil general who says, “I now dub you Captain Acidulous”; the requisite cute little creature with enormous eyes; and aliens who illogically refer to the Earth as “Blue Star.” On the plus side, the illustrations are well done, with special attention paid to the fighting and skateboarding scenes.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 10 Up–This title follows Geary’s successful A Treasury of Victorian Murder (NBM, 2003) in style. It explores and exposes Hollywood’s early glamour days, warts and all. Sophisticated and urbane silent movie director William Taylor was shot to death at home, where he lived alone. The murder, like all the others that Geary portrays, remains unsolved. In addition to exploring avenues of detection and speculation about the crime, Geary also notes race and gender issues of the 1920s and shows how the real people living the Hollywood dream might not have always been what they wanted others to believe. Clothing, hairstyles, and architecture give readers a “you are there” sense, as does the action, which is seen by a somewhat distant observer. An excellent way to introduce teens to the establishment of pop-culture iconography.–Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia

Gr 10 Up–Funny, informative, and comprehensive, Gonick’s history concludes with this second volume. His unique wit, sense of irony, and passion for humanity’s complex story of triumphs, compromises, and disasters are as evident here as they are in his previous books. Together or separately, his cartoon histories will serve as a valuable introduction to the major events of the past, and perhaps as an insightful review of history. In Part II, Europe and North America get more attention than the rest of the world, but Gonick makes a concerted effort to cover the most significant events and trends in Africa, Asia, and South America, while not forgetting Australia and the island nations. His treatment of the 18th-century slave trade, with its enormously challenging economic, political, and moral issues, is particularly noteworthy. Equally impressive is his rendering of the rise and fall of communism around the globe. Throughout the book, readers will find textual and visual satire, puns, and other flashes of cleverness.–Robert Saunderson, formerly at Berkeley Public Library, CA

Gr 10 Up–This manhwa concludes this quietly moving trilogy about Ehwa and her mother. Ehwa is in love with Duksam, who left at the end of The Color of Water (Roaring Brook, 2009) to make his fortune so that he could come back and marry her. Actually, he also left to escape the men who wanted to punish him for destroying the property of the old man who tried to take Ehwa for himself in volume two. Most of this book takes place in the village with the two women pining for their men and talking about men and nature and flowers and trees. Hwa’s black-and-white illustrations are once again stunning, simple at first glance but on closer examination they are amazing in their detail. The Color of Heaven can stand on its own as an enjoyable read, but it is an absolute must for readers who have devoured the earlier volumes.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Gr 10 Up–Outsiders in their small Oregon town, Josh, Cody, and Gordon relentlessly beat one another to a pulp in Josh’s backyard. They fight for practice so they can defend themselves against anyone who hurts them. All three teens must help care for their families after their fathers ship out to fight in Iraq. Josh lives with his grandfather, Gordon is the man of a house full of brothers and sisters, and Cody is the main caregiver for his younger brother, who wants to be a soldier, too. The boys obsessively click “refresh” to check for new emails from their fathers, messages that sadly do not come often. This raw story shows the harsh realities of life when a parent is deployed. The teens encounter enthusiastic recruiters, bullies at school, and vicious physical and emotional hits. Particularly striking is their reaction when the father of one of their school tormentors is killed overseas. The illustrations are realistic and reflect the intense emotions that dominate this gripping and moving tale.–Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, VA

Gr 10 Up–Rapp and O’Connor tell the story of four people trying to survive in a society suffering from environmental, biological, and political disease. Aaron, an idealistic novelist trying to capture in words the reason for his society’s collapse, holes up in a basement with Welton, who is slowly dying of a strange plague. Meanwhile Exley, a young woman who once had a brief encounter with Welton, befriends a boy named Horlick. All four characters are ensnared by the government to work in a gruesome program involving the eponymous hammer, while Exley and Welton desperately search for one another, never realizing that they are on different floors of the same building. The authors have clearly come to the graphic form with an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Rather than trying to tell a novel’s worth of story with excess narration and dialogue, they allow large passages to unfold entirely in images. The unresolved ending is Rapp’s hallmark, and this book reads as a statement about the uncertain future, allowing the novel to hit home with the taut force of a good short story.–Mark Flowers, John F. Kennedy Library, Vallejo, CA

Gr 10 Up–The Surrogates (Top Shelf, 2006) was an intriguing metaphor for our culture’s increasing reliance on computers for communication: mechanical automatons called surrogates, which humans use for all physical interaction. Despite the promising premise, that graphic novel rarely rose much above the level of its boilerplate police-procedural dialogue. And with the release of this prequel, coinciding with a film of the first book, readers might expect a cheap movie tie-in. Instead, the creators have vastly improved on their original vision, producing a complex, thought-provoking novel. The story opens with the murder of a homeless man by three teenagers joyriding their parents’ surrogates. While Officer Harvey Greer investigates, a religious leader called the Prophet uses the crime to spark the rage of the underclass of citizens who cannot afford surrogates. Readers of the original book will recognize the beginnings of the 2039 anti-surrogate riots–the last gasp of anti-surrogate sentiment before these automatons took over every aspect of society. Venditti sharpens his ethical critique by focusing on this moment of societal choice over a new technology. That choice–between the utopian rhetoric of the surrogates’ creators and the Prophet’s complicated moral vision of society–puts into relief the attractions and limitations of each, while highlighting the elaborate moral calculus that societies constantly perform. Weldele’s art, meanwhile, is sketchlike and raw, providing a powerful comment on the story’s inherent ambiguity. Fans of Watchmen (DC Comics), and other dystopian science fiction should be right at home with this excellent graphic novel.–Mark Flowers, John F. Kennedy Library, Vallejo, CA