Nimona

Harper Teen

Nimona
Noelle Stevenson
2015

The Summary
"Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy.   Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta.

"As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc.  Their mission:  prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

"Explosions will be involved.  Science and sharks will be, too.

"But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past.  And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

"Nemeses!  Dragons!  Science!  Symbolism!

"All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson, based on her award-winning web comic."

The Good
I actually finished reading Nimona several months ago when it was still available online, completing the series on Noelle Stevenson's website, Gingerhaze; however, I couldn't wait to get a copy of Nimona in print.  Sure, I've already read it (as my previous review shows), but how could I not read it again?

Truth be told, I couldn't.

I absolutely loved Nimona, so I simply couldn't resist buying my own copy.  And I'm so glad I did, because I've enjoyed it so much.

Nimona, like Stevenson's Lumberjanes, is a quirky adventure story that's full of lovable characters and a story that's simply spectacular.  It combines familiar tropes from fantasy and science fiction, mixing together dark magic, knights, mages, jousts and dragons with incredible technology (think touch screens, holographs, and other fantastical forms of science).  It's a strange amalgamation of ancient, modern, and futuristic technologies that works well together.

Although the art style is a little quirky, I loved the gradual progression of Stevenson's art as Nimona came into its own.  I liked how Nimona changed over the course of the story, how her appearance changed to reflect her emotions, her thoughts and feelings.  She's a dynamic character with a lot of attitude and an almost caustic sense of humor; she has a mysterious past, but she has a heart of gold and a sense of loyalty to her friends, like Ballister.

I grew to love her.

And I loved seeing her interact with Ballister.  Ambrosius and Ballister have a complicated relationship to say the least, but Ballister and Nimona's relationship seemed uncomplicated and carefree.  Not quite carefree, considering Nimona's past comes back to haunt her, but close enough that I could enjoy their banter back and forth, their father-daughter relationship as they worried about one another, sticking together through thick and thin.

Overall, I loved it.  I mean, what else can I say?  I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved the strange combination of past and present, fantasy and science fiction that created such a unique and wonderful graphic novel.  I highly recommend it, especially to readers who have enjoyed Lumberjanes, Squirrel Girl, or Rat Queens.

The Bad
When you're reading Nimona, you can see a discernible shift in the creator's art style.  Starting out, the sketches are a little rough--as with most comics or, heck, books at the very beginning--and gradually grow into their own as the artist settles into a groove and characters blossom into the people we've come to love.

So, yes, it's a little difficult to go back to the very beginning and see how it once looked, to see unfamiliar people from the characters you've come to know, but, really, that's just the way any story will progress.  Once you dive into Nimona, it's easy to fall in love.  If you try to go back, it might seem a little strange at first, but, don't worry, it'll all get better as you go along.

The Ugly
Revenge.  Doom, destruction, and death.

Nimona encounters some very deep subjects and confront some very intense themes as the story progresses.  It has a deceptively simple art style, but, truthfully, Nimona is a complex and incredibly thoughtful book.

It deals with right and wrong, and how politics can sometimes get in the way of morality; it deals with interpersonal relationships, both platonic and romantic; it deals with personal trauma, growth, and what it really means to be good or evil--and what you're willing to do to save the people you love.  Sometimes, it even reflects the current political arguments framed on national news networks.  It doesn't shy away from the hard topics.

And it may just break your heart.  (It did mine.)

Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max (Volume 2)

Boom! Box

Lumberjanes:  Friendship to the Max (Volume 2)
Noelle Stevenson
Grace Ellis
Shannon Watters
Brooke A. Allen
2015

The Summary
"What a mystery!

"Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are not your average campers and Miss Quinzella Tiskwin Penniquiqui Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types is not your average summer camp.  Between the river monsters, magic, and the art of friendship bracelets, this summer is only just beginning.  Join the Lumberjanes as they take on raptors and a sibling rivalry that only myths are made of."

The Good
Lumberjanes:  Friendship to the Max had all the qualities I liked in the very first volume:  great character and relationship development, strong and sassy female leads, wonderful stories full of random adventures and absurd situations.  (This is the same volume involving dinosaurs, so, yes, it does border on wildly absurd, especially when a few familiar characters form Greek myth get a little more involved.  But I loved it.)

In this volume, the Lumberjanes friendship is put to the test by raptors, a shapeshifting bear, a weird magical crystal, and a pair of errant gods.  Even Jen, the Roanoke camp counselor, is pulled into the fray--and it's a wild ride, to be sure.  It's a weird, wacky adventure that let's you see the different facets of their personalities and different aspects of their friendships.

For instance, you get to see Molly's ingenuity with anagrams; Jen's incredible talent for astronomy and science; Ripley's raptor-riding rodeo skills; and April's unexpected arm-wrestling skills.  More than their individual skills, you actually get to see their relationships grow and you come to understand how they became friends.  You get to see them interact, to argue and fight, but, most of all, you get to see them building lasting friendships.

It's wonderfully heart-warming to see brilliant young women figuring out puzzles and traps and dangers on their own, and it's lovely to see them helping one another.  They want to have adventures, but not at the expense of their friendship.  And it's their confidence in themselves and each other--their willingness to build each other up--that's wonderfully refreshing to see.

Overall, I really enjoyed the second volume of Lumberjanes.  It's exciting, it's fun, and it's surprisingly uplifting.

The Bad
Sure, it does get a little fragmented.  There's so many different adventures going on at once, so many different creatures hiding in the forest that it sometimes leaves you with more questions than answers.  But, for the most part, it's a great graphic novel with a lot of wonderful characters and stories.

The Ugly
Raptors.

I'll be honest, I've never been a big fan of dinosaurs.  I think I was scarred as a child by watching Jurassic Park too young, so I don't think I've ever liked the idea of dinosaurs in the modern world.  Granted, I got to see Ripley ride a raptor like a rodeo cowboy, but, otherwise, I was a bit ambivalent toward the raptors as a whole.

Bonus: Louisiana Longshot

Jana DeLeon

Louisiana Longshot
Jana DeLeon
2012

The Summary
"It was a hell of a long shot...

"CIA assassin Fortune Redding is about to undertake her most difficult mission ever--in Sinful, Louisiana.  With a leak at the CIA and a price placed on her head by one of the world's largest arms dealers, Fortune has to go off-grid, but she never expected to be this far out of her element.  Posing as a former beauty queen turned librarian in a small bayou town seems worse than death to Fortune, but she's determined to fly below the radar until her boss finds the leak and puts the arms dealer out of play.  Unfortunately, she hasn't even unpacked a suitcase before her newly inherited dog digs up a human bone in her backyard.

"Thrust into the middle of a bayou murder mystery, Fortune teams up with a couple of seemingly sweet old ladies whose looks completely belie their hold on the little town.  To top things off, the handsome local deputy is asking her too many questions.  If she's not careful, this investigation might blow her cover and get her killed.  Armed with her considerable skills and a group of elderly ladies the locals dub The Geritol Mafia, Fortune has no choice but to solve the murder before it's too late."

The Good
I enjoyed reading Louisiana Longshot.  Simultaneously fun and patently absurd, it's a quick and easy novel to read over a weekend--or, heck, even over a lazy afternoon.  It's full of adventure, action, and humor, and it's incredibly fast-paced so you're dragged into one wacky adventure after another.

Yes, I was often shaking my head at their crazy antics, but I can't say I didn't enjoy the ride.

Moreover, Fortune Redding is a fun, quirky narrator with a sarcastic streak and a enjoyable sense of humor.  She's one tough cookie and, honestly, she's pretty incredible.  She's a CIA assassin on the run from one of the world's most powerful and dangerous arms dealers, and she's a highly skilled operative with years of experience.  I found her rampant hostility and deadly skills incredibly charming, for some reason.

However, Fortune is not entirely acclimated to an average American life.  Things like dating, forging friendships, cooking, cleaning, and acting as a normal person are rather difficult for her.  Ask her to disassemble, clean, and reassemble a handgun while wearing a blindfold, and she could probably do it.  But ask her to name the most popular people on American Idol, and she'd be hard pressed to answer.

I've found I don't really mind.  I can't say I ever liked American Idol very much.

One of the things I liked best about Louisiana Longshot is the relationship between Gertie and Ida Belle.  Known as The Geritol Mafia, they are members of the Sinful Ladies' Society--i.e. a secret group of spinsters and widows who basically run the town--and they're a duo of incredibly capable if a little unusual ladies.  And their interactions are hilarious.

Lousiana Longshot--and the whole Miss Fortune Mystery series--is a fun, fast-paced adventure with quirky, but lovable characters.  It's full of action, intrigue, and explosive mishaps (and a little bit of romance), which is sure to appeal to a variety of readers.  It's just a lot of fun.

The Bad
Jana DeLeon's novel is more of a guilty pleasure than I'd like to admit.  It's lots of fun, but it doesn't have a whole lot of substance.  I'm not saying I didn't like it, but I don't think of it as a book that's going to make a big emotional impact on me.  It's a good book with decent characters, fine writing, and incredible adventures, but I wouldn't put it at the top of my favorites list.

The Ugly
Murder.

Granted, the original murder occurred long before Fortune arrived; however, she did have to deal with the leftover bones--and she was endangered by a pair of unexpected murderers.  It's not horrifically graphic, but it is a bit violent.

Aquaman: The Trench (Volume 1)

DC Comics

Aquaman:  The Trench (Volume 1)
Geoff Johns
Ivan Reis
Joe Prado
2012

The Summary
"The only thing more powerful than the sea...is the man who rules it.

"In the waters that cover the vast majority of the Earth, Aquaman reigns supreme.  Yet on the surface world--a world he and the deadly beauty Mera battle to protect--the king of the sea is out of his element.  Humanity dismisses and disrespects him, just as they do the ocean he rules

"They may not like him.  But they need him.

"For Aquaman is not the only power beneath the waves.  A terrifying new threat has emerged from the abyss miles below the surface.  There, no light reaches, and only hunger and hate can survive.

"The trench has opened, spewing forth horrors.  Now Aquaman must make a choice that will put the survival of one species--our species--against another, or the whole world will be dragged into its gaping maw...

"Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis--the superstar creative team behind Green Lantern:  Secret Origin and Blackest Night--plunge you headfirst into the darkest waters in Aquaman:  The Trench (collecting issues #1-6) as they reunite for a modern take on one of DC Universe's most powerful heroes!"

The Good
Aquaman is frequently disregarded as a foolish superhero or completely discounted in the DC Universe, much like Adam West's 1960s Batman; sometimes, he's even regarded as the punchline of a joke (think Big Bang Theory).  He's not the most popular superhero, and even I will admit that he's not one of my favorites.  However, in Aquaman:  The Trench, Aquaman's reputation is finally redeemed--and I am so excited.

I've always had a specific picture of Aquaman in my mind:  Aquaman of the Justice League series that aired in 2001.  I was introduced to the gruff, brooding king of the deep and, being an impressionable youth, I instantly respected him for his uncanny strength, his ability to manipulate undersea life, and his absolute loyalty to the people of Atlantis.  I could also appreciate the fact he was a total badass.

I mean, how could I not like the guy?  He cut off his own hand to save his son, and then he shakes it off like it's nothing.  Of course I thought he was awesome.  (That's kind of a given.)  And after reading The Trench, I feel like I've reaffirmed my place in the Aquaman fandom.

Honestly, it's refreshing to see Aquaman in a new light.  I love the humor in his story and, more importantly, I love the amazing character designs.  Artistically speaking, both Arthur (honestly, I don't think I knew his real name before I read this volume) and Mera are beautifully designed.  I liked the detail and the color, the vibrancy of their characters; moreover, I loved the way they interacted as characters with one another and the rest of the world.

Aquaman has an emotional depth and intricacy I didn't expect.  Arthur is tugged at by his urge to protect mankind and his duty as the king of the sea, by his father's humanity and his mother's kingdom.  It's an interesting dynamic that adds a layer of complexity to his character and, more importantly, his story.  He wants to preserve humanity, but he doesn't wish to destroy in the process; he wants to be human, but he knows he isn't.

It's fantastic to see how his story plays out.

Overall, I think Aquaman is one of my favorite superhero comics of the year.  It's right up there with Spider-Gwen, The Long Halloween, Hush, and Daredevil.  I can't wait to hunt down volume two and discover the fate of Atlantis.

The Bad
No complaints.

I mean, I found the pace to be a little quicker than I would like.  It seemed like the story was in a hurry to get somewhere, and I would have liked a little more time to dwell on Mera and Aquaman's background.  However, it isn't a deal breaker and it's only a slight blemish on a story that's fantastic overall.

The Ugly
Blood.  Gore.  Violence.

What do you expect when terrifying creatures creep out of the deepest trenches of the ocean?  They're not looking to host a picnic.

Rat Queens: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'Rygoth (Volume 2)

Image

Rat Queens:  The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'Rygoth (Volume 2)
Kurtis J. Wiebe
Roc Upchurch
Stiepan Sejic
2015

The Summary
"This booze-soaked second volume of Rat Queens reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade.  And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N'rygoth never really lets his children stray too far."

The Good
Like it's first volume, Rat Queens is an irreverent romp through a blood-soaked fantasy world.  It has all the usual good qualities:  strong, female protagonists, adventure, danger and humor.  However, it adds a dose of seriousness which it's predecessor did not have.

In The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'Rygoth, the Rat Queens are given deeper background stories.  Readers have the opportunity to catch glimpses into their past, a chance to see what brought there where they are today.  Like Dee who left her family's religious community to forge her own path, to seek her own faith; or Hannah who has a rather dubious heritage, who has a darker past than anyone would ever guess; or Violet who wants to separate herself from the suffocating traditions of the dwarves, who set out on a journey of self-discovery.

Oddly enough, I don't recall seeing anything about Betty's past.  She's still the same odd-ball, happy-go-lucky Smidgen she was in the previous volume.  I'm sure there's more to her than meets the eye, but I haven't had the chance to see it.

The art is a little different this time around with Stiepan Sejic contributing to Rat Queens, but I found I still enjoyed the way Sejic and Upchurch's art interacts with the overall story.  It manages to give the Rat Queens an added vibrancy, it conveys their attitudes and their characters without compromising any of the quirky qualities.  Moreover, it conveys the more serious tone of the second volume.

And, yes, Rat Queens is much more serious.  Whereas before readers found a hint of intrigue, a small plot that endangered the lives of Hannah, Betty, Dee, and Violet, readers later discover the plot stretches farther--and, more importantly, delves deep into some of the darker corners of Dee's past.  It involves a complicated web of revenge, bloodshed, and dark magic that brings violence and terror to Palisade.

It's really very good.

The Bad
No complaints.

Volume Two builds more on the lore of Palisade, as well as develops the back story of the characters.  It offers more insight into the world--and the Rat Queens--and provides readers with a deeper understanding of what they're reading.

The Ugly
Alcohol and drug abuse, violence, gore, bloodshed, explicit language, graphic content, sexual misconduct.

And, as an added bonus, nudity.

It's still not for younger readers, I'm afraid.