In the first book of this series, Canto: If I Only Had a Heart, we learn Canto’s people are enslaved and their hearts are removed and replaced with clocks. They are not allowed to have names or love one another, but Canto has a name and he was given it by a girl who loved him. She tries to step between Canto and their slavers who beat her near death. Canto tries to offer his clock heart to save her, but the elder of their people cannot save her. The elder finally relents and tells Canto that the only way to save her is to trust a legend that says if her heart can be recovered it will replace the clock and she’ll live again. Canto’s story begins in earnest at this point and he sets out on an adventure the likes of which his people have never seen.
His people aren’t the only ones who have been subjugated in this world and Canto finds himself face to face with the person who controls all, the Shrouded Man. His plan is to free everyone from the shackles of hope and dreams. His story once ended in heartbreak and he won’t allow that to happen to the rest of the world. This is his twisted plan and Canto refuses to believe this is their fate. In the next two books, The Hollow Men and Lionhearted, Canto will make new friends, fight new enemies, face dangers untold and keep searching for a way to truly free his people. He’ll learn how closely his own life and fate are tied to the Shrouded Man and discover how truly large the world around them is.
Canto: Tales of the Unnamed World collects the stories Canto & the City of Giants and Canto: Tales of the Unnamed World and fills in the gaps between Canto II: The Hollow Men and Canto III: Lionhearted. The stories contained in this volume are great additions to the larger world Canto and his friends inhabit, but it needs to be noted that this is more a waypoint than another chapter. In this volume, Canto and his good friends Ritka and Falco find themselves heading towards the city of giants, Dis, to enlist their help fighting the Shrouded Man. The have captured a Misturian Witch and, like so many things in this world, she is more than they understand. In the second part of the book we see Canto, Ritka, and Falco on their way home to New Arcana when they find a mysterious bridge that wasn’t there on their way to Dis. Their way is blocked by the Bard, a Cheshire cat in motley, who demands from each of them a story he has never heard before. Canto eventually realizes this is Ragno, the trickster who had a run in with the Shrouded Man when he was merely a boy. The stories they tell him are written or illustrated by guest creators and while it’s a break from the main plot it is a fun and intriguing way to further fill out their world and lore.
The influence of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz can be felt throughout these books and movies like The Dark Crystal or The Neverending Story have also left an impression here. These stories are hopeful, fantastical, and at times hint at darkness. It’s not always easy or light, but the heroes push forward and have goodness at their core. For tiny tin knights, they have big personality and—pun intended—plenty of heart.
The art by Drew Zucker and guest artists also reflects these influences, as well as books like Elf Quest and Wynd. It isn’t overtly realistic, as it’s a very stylized world, but it will feel familiar. There are beasts of unusual anatomy, elves and giants aplenty, and an actual yellow brick road they travel. The color palette shifts with location to help give a sense of environment, at times dark and foreboding, at others bright and hopeful. It remains accessible to the intended audience while also presenting more challenging and dynamic layout than some comics for younger readers achieve. This helps drive the story forward and keeps the reader turning pages as the action escalates. The overall approach to the art really does present a good step-up for readers just getting into teen comics and getting ready for complex graphic storytelling.
For libraries looking for teen fantasy stories, these are well written and the world is fully realized. I would argue that advanced middle grade readers would enjoy these as a first step in what is categorized as Teen reading. I think the context and vocabulary of these stories are more preventative for younger readers than the content. There is no bad language here and, as it’s a fantasy world, the violence is usually in the name of self-defense and towards magical or fantastical/clockwork beasts. In terms of audience appeal, I haven’t read many graphic novels that leave the door as wide open for so many ages and interests. I realize this endorsement is asking you to buy four books altogether, but it is a great series that I think will find a lot of fans if given the chance.
Canto, vol 1: If I Only Had a Heart
By David M. Booher
Art by Drew Zucker
IDW, 2020
ISBN: 9781684056217
Canto, vol 2: The Hollow Men
By David M. Booher
Art by Drew Zucker
IDW, 2021
ISBN: 9781684058006
Canto: Tales of the Unnamed World
By David M. Booher
Art by Drew Zucker, Sebastian Piriz
IDW, 2023
ISBN: 9781684059362
Canto, vol 3: Lionhearted
By David M. Booher
Art by Drew Zucker
IDW, 2022
ISBN: 9781684058983
Publisher Age Rating: Teen
NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
