This action-packed graphic novel gives a modern twist to an old notion.
A super-strong boy strives to follow in the footsteps of his heroes in Bullock’s YA graphic novel.
Aided by his noisy humanoid cheetah best friend and hype-man, Pepper, Ja’Khari hopes his unexplained phenomenal strength will help him achieve his goal in life: to become one of the Monarchs, a revered fighting force known and admired throughout the galaxy. It’s an ambitious dream for a boy living in the futuristic human settlement known as The Bloks. Ja’Khari and Pepper head to the Big Brawl, where a large amount of cash and “a crack at Big Bruce’s Monarch crown” are the prizes. Ja’Khari runs up against the neighborhood bullies, brothers Jug and Jar Gallon, who “have issues with their milk glands that make them look like grown men when they are only 10 years old.” Ja’Khari squares off first with Jug, overcoming his stench and then knocking him out (he fears he killed the boy) with a head butt. Ja’Khari resuscitates the lad by jumping on him, and Jug awakes bawling. Jar moves to avenge his humiliated brother and soon gains the upper hand. Unfortunately, Jar’s sure-to-be-epic battle with Ja’Khari ends in a cliffhanger. Bullock has a background in animation, and that experience shows in his comic’s kinetic style. His characters’ expressions also help to propel the action along. The story might in fact have been a better fit for animation, as it includes nearly as many sound effects as it does passages of expository text. The narrative doesn’t proceed very far over 64 pages, with one fight concluding and a second battle starting. The work’s strength is its depiction of the friendship among its characters, between Ja’Khari and Pepper and even between the oafish Gallon brothers, all of whom look out for each other. There’s little character development, but this is only the first book in the series; there should be more time and space for the cast to develop in future installments.
This action-packed graphic novel gives a modern twist to an old notion.Pub Date: Dec. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9798987909935
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Black Sands Entertainment
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Flipping awesome.
After a wish goes wrong, a girl and her crush must figure out how to break a body-switching curse.
Chi-Chi Ekeh feels invisible. Like her previous crushes, hot varsity swimmer Flip Henderson—yet another rich white boy at her Texas boarding school—seems unaware of her existence. With only weeks until graduation, Nigerian American Chi-Chi’s friends Esther and Yesenia dare her to ask Flip to Senior Festival. But Flip accidentally shows her promposal video to the whole class—and immediately turns her down. Embarrassed, Chi-Chi flees, but her innocent remark—“I just wish Flip Henderson liked me”—has unexpected consequences. After falling and hitting her head, Chi-Chi wakes up in Flip’s body, and he in hers. Freaked out beyond belief and regularly switching bodies, Chi-Chi and Flip work with Esther and Yesenia to break the curse. Meanwhile, forced to see herself through someone else’s eyes, Chi-Chi must confront uncomfortable feelings. There’s much to love about this book. The fully realized and sympathetic characters, sincere and humorous development of friendships, and protagonist’s relatable and bittersweet emotional journey will keep readers engaged, eager to reach the resolution. Ukazu carefully balances tough topics like self-hatred, depression, and suicidal ideation with funny feel-good moments, deftly rendered in her characteristically expressive style. The dynamic and engaging illustrations bring to life a heartwarming story of self-love, acceptance, and true connection.
Flipping awesome. (author’s note) (Graphic fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781250179517
Page Count: 320
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Will appeal to manga fans but raises questions around depictions of racialized material.
An illustrated reimagining of one of Shakespeare’s most memorable tragedies.
From the very beginning of this clever adaptation, effort is made to prioritize accessibility of both the manga form and the classic Shakespearean play: The frontmatter briefly highlights the reading direction of the panels, and characters are labeled when introduced, coming to life via a striking combination of early modern Venetian dress; quintessential manga hairdos and facial expressions; and pronounced linework. Like the rest of the series, this account of Othello remains faithful to the original. The black-and-white illustrations allow for Iago’s conniving manipulations to manifest visually as well as animating characters’ bigotry in impactful, distressing ways. However, there are shortcomings: Where the original text may use parentheticals and asides to progress the story, the occasional appearance of parentheses in speech bubbles are a distracting reminder that comics utilize storytelling tools that haven’t been fully adopted here. Likewise, panel after panel of Othello’s turn to violence and his enraged face obscured by shadow provide a poignant dramatic effect but seem to exacerbate prejudices inherent to both the play and medium. Not only is the titular character visually distinguished from other characters by his shading, hair, lips, and overall size, unfortunately neither Shakespeare nor the illustrator seem wholly prepared for a contemporary conversation regarding racial representation in one of literature’s most infamous depictions of othering.
Will appeal to manga fans but raises questions around depictions of racialized material. (adapter’s notes, character designs) (Graphic fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: May 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-947808-13-3
Page Count: 420
Publisher: Manga Classics
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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