Sometimes a series is just exactly what you thought it was going to be and what you were looking for, and the josei manga series You’re My Pet! was that for me. This 14-volume manga series is comedic, soap-operatic, a little weird, romantic, and hopeful. While I can’t say it’s flawless, I nonetheless loved it. This series was originally released in the US as Tramps Like Us in the 2000s by Tokyopop (although I think … Continue reading You’re My Pet by Yayoi Ogawa →
DC is putting out a series of stand-alone graphic novels for teens that also appeals to adults. So far, the series has a lot of diverse representation among authors, artists, and characters so even though I’m not a huge DC reader I am ALL OVER these books. One of the first books, Sarah Kuhn’s Shadow of the Batgirl, has given us a new version of the Cassandra Cain story (Cassandra was one of the Batgirls … Continue reading Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn →
Sparrowhawk is an intense, violent, historical fantasy comic that I found to be both horrifying (in a good way) and amazing. Readers should know that there is harm to cute fey creatures, there is racism, and there is a cliffhanger ending, and the protaganist is tough as nails but too stupid to live. Our story begins in Victorian England. Artemesia is raised as an upper-class proper Victorian woman as the illegitimate daughter of a Naval … Continue reading Sparrowhawk by Delilah S. Dawson →
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Volume One: High School Is Hell collects the first four issues of the new Buffy comic by Jordie Bellaire. This is not to be confused with Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season Eight – Twelve, a series published by Dark Horse that continued the story past the TV show’s finale. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a reimagining of Buffy with the same characters set in the present day. There are a lot of significant changes: … Continue reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer Vol. 1: High School is Hell by Jordie Bellaire →
I know I’m late to the party (again) but I finally read the first volume of Rainbow Rowell’s Runaways comic book series and I have to share the Squee! Volume #1: Find Your Way Home collects Issues #1-6 of Rowell’s run. I loved this comic when it first originated with Brian K. Vaughan as the writer. I followed his stories and the subsequent Joss Whedon run but stopped after the Whedon run concluded. I’m overjoyed that Rainbow … Continue reading Runaways, Vol. 1: Find Your Way Home by Rainbow Rowell and Kria Anka →
Fence is a manga-inspired comic about the fencing team of a high school boarding school. The story includes sexual and ethnic diversity, a secret half-brother, class division, and passionate rivalry between two teammates who loathe each other and are therefore, inevitably, randomly chosen to be roommates. The authors have promised romance, and while so far none has been forthcoming, if the roommates do not become lovers in the very near future I will be amazed. … Continue reading Fence Vol. 1 by C.S. Pacat →
Heavy Vinyl is a comic book series set in New Jersey in 1998. The premise is that four teens/young women run a record store and fight crime. If that doesn’t make you stop reading this review and one-click immediately, then you are dead to me. For a few minutes, at least. The central protagonist is Chris, a new employee at Vinyl Destination. She has a crush on her coworker, Maggie, but is afraid to tell … Continue reading Heavy Vinyl by Carla Usdin →
Misfit City: Volume One introduces us to a diverse, fun group of young women with an affinity for adventure. It includes the first four issues of the comic Misfit City. The story takes place in Cannon Cove, Oregon. This is the site where a hit movie, “The Gloomies” was filmed in the 1980s, and the town both benefits from and is plagued by tourists who loved the movie as kids. Five young women who live … Continue reading Misfit City, Vol. 1 by Kiwi Smith and Kurt Lustgarten →
Elements: Fire is an anthology of short comics by creators of color. All of the art is in black and white, with red accents. The result is visually striking and gives the anthology cohesion while also demonstrating a variety of art styles. All of the stories involve speculative fiction, including non-European-based fantasy and some “smash the dystopia” style science fiction. The best thing about this anthology is that it showcases so many artists and writers. … Continue reading Elements: Fire edited by Taneka Stotts →
Castle Waiting is an adorable, feminist comic that is currently collected in two volumes. I read about this comic book series in The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen by Hope Nicholson and sure enough, it’s entrancing. Castle Waiting is the story of what happens in Sleeping Beauty’s castle after the princess awakens and leaves the castle. The castle becomes a safe haven for many – including a pregnant woman named Lady Jain who is fleeing from … Continue reading Castle Waiting by Linda Medley →
The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen: Awesome Female Characters From Comic Book History is a fun, informative, and inspiring encyclopedia of female characters from the comic books of 1930s to the 2010s. Each character description includes an illustration, the name of their creator, information about their first appearance, and where to find their comics now. Each decade from the 1930s on is represented, and the women featured include many heroines of color as well as LGBTQ … Continue reading The Spectacular Sisterhood of Superwomen by Hope Nicholson →
