Adolescent romance and mischief animate an endearing, gleefully raunchy coming-of-age tale.
A teen at a Jewish sleepaway camp relishes a summer of adventure and raging hormones in Glickman’s debut graphic novel.
It’s June 1977, and 15-year-old Eric Glickman is finally an “oldest senior” at Camp Pock-a-Wocknee. This status affords him and his friends in Bunk 19 certain privileges, including a slightly later curfew. Most of the boys have their eyes on the girl campers, and it’s not long before Eric notices a curly-haired girl named Amy. The freedom at camp allows Eric to enjoy idyllic outings and indulge in antics with his pals, but he makes time for smart and funny Amy, who he hopes likes him, too. Getting her alone, however, may not be possible, not with the so-called Man in the Poncho hanging around camp. As Eric is the only one to repeatedly see this legendary figure, he has to wonder: Is he simply paranoid or in actual peril? Author and illustrator Glickman’s charming, nostalgic slice of adolescence includes such welcome touches as sprightly footnotes for the copious pop-culture references and specific details of the various meals and snacks the youngsters devour. There’s also unabashed toilet humor (sometimes literal), along with sex jokes, casual profanity, and occasional (male) nudity. Eric makes for a winsome protagonist who feels more like himself at camp than he does at school, where there aren’t many other Jewish kids like him. And while scoring is a priority for some, Eric clearly wants to get to know Amy and isn’t overly concerned with what base, if any, he’s on. Glickman’s bold black-and-white artwork comically exaggerates features and shines brightest when animating what’s in Eric’s head, as when the boys, hopped up on sugary cereals, ride metaphorical “sugar beasts,” and a post-kiss Eric transforms into a caped superhero.
Adolescent romance and mischief animate an endearing, gleefully raunchy coming-of-age tale.Pub Date: Dec. 20, 2022
ISBN: 978-1990521072
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Black Panel Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth.
Superman confronts racism and learns to accept himself with the help of new friends.
In this graphic-novel adaptation of the 1940s storyline entitled “The Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman radio show, readers are reintroduced to the hero who regularly saves the day but is unsure of himself and his origins. The story also focuses on Roberta Lee, a young Chinese girl. She and her family have just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis proper, and mixed feelings abound. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane’s colleague from the Daily Planet, takes a larger role here, befriending his new neighbors, the Lees. An altercation following racial slurs directed at Roberta’s brother after he joins the local baseball team escalates into an act of terrorism by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. What starts off as a run-of-the-mill superhero story then becomes a nuanced and personal exploration of the immigrant experience and blatant and internalized racism. Other main characters are White, but Black police inspector William Henderson fights his own battles against prejudice. Clean lines, less-saturated coloring, and character designs reminiscent of vintage comics help set the tone of this period piece while the varied panel cuts and action scenes give it a more modern sensibility. Cantonese dialogue is indicated through red speech bubbles; alien speech is in green.
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth. (author’s note, bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77950-421-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Using modern language, McDonald spins the well-known tale of the two young, unrequited lovers. Set against Nagar’s at-times...
A bland, uninspired graphic adaptation of the Bard’s renowned love story.
Using modern language, McDonald spins the well-known tale of the two young, unrequited lovers. Set against Nagar’s at-times oddly psychedelic-tinged backgrounds of cool blues and purples, the mood is strange, and the overall ambiance of the story markedly absent. Appealing to what could only be a high-interest/low–reading level audience, McDonald falls short of the mark. He explains a scene in an open-air tavern with a footnote—“a place where people gather to drink”—but he declines to offer definitions for more difficult words, such as “dirges.” While the adaptation does follow the foundation of the play, the contemporary language offers nothing; cringeworthy lines include Benvolio saying to Romeo at the party where he first meets Juliet, “Let’s go. It’s best to leave now, while the party’s in full swing.” Nagar’s faces swirl between dishwater and grotesque, adding another layer of lost passion in a story that should boil with romantic intensity. Each page number is enclosed in a little red heart; while the object of this little nuance is obvious, it’s also unpleasantly saccharine. Notes after the story include such edifying tidbits about Taylor Swift and “ ‘Wow’ dialogs from the play” (which culls out the famous quotes).Pub Date: May 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-93-80028-58-3
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011
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