He is Pumpernickel Pickle Periwinkle Chukwu Okorafor, but you may call him Periwinkle. At night, when his Earth family is asleep, Periwinkle flies his ship beyond the atmosphere and embraces his other identity… Space Cat!
The Space Cat is the incredible tale of award-winning fantasy and science fiction author Nnedi Okorafor’s cat Periwinkle with a speculative twist. Readers are introduced to Periwinkle and his family, their home and Periwinkle’s secret lair, as well as Periwinkle’s night time activity of racing against another space cat, Orange Meow. Constantly bested by Orange Meow, Periwinkle returns to Earth already contemplating improvements to his ship.
A few flashbacks fill readers in on some of Periwinkle’s background: when he was adopted by his human family, how he took a little time to get settled in with his new family, and how he handled a couple of unique situations, one with an extraterrestrial twist and one with a more mundane origin. Both situations, regardless of their causes, will be very familiar to cat owners. There are also references that Periwinkle has an extraterrestrial lineage.
In the present time, Nnedi, Anya, and Periwinkle will travel to Nigeria to live for a year while Nnedi works on a book there. Though he has been to space countless times, Periwinkle learns that he has not explored his Earth home as much, and Nigeria introduces him to new experiences and friends. Though some humans in Nigeria treat cats a little differently than back home, Periwinkle will not let their mistrust stop him from doing what’s right when they are threatened.
Nnedi Okorafor’s writing is already a force to be reckoned with, but it’s incredible how well matched it is with Tana Ford’s art. Ford’s artistry is the perfect compliment to Okorafor’s story and helps bring it to life on page. Her bold lines coupled with her masterful use of color will make readers want to savor each panel. Sepia tones indicate flashbacks, bright, warm colors evoke Nigeria, and otherworldly blues and purples capture Periwinkle’s space adventures. Ford effectively uses panels to convey the story as well: jagged, diagonal panels bring action to life while full page spreads are used to great effect. The characters Nnedi herself and her daughter Anya are realized perfectly, and the other humans and animal characters are expressive and beautifully rendered. Of course, no one compares to Periwinkle. Readers will fall for his big, blue eyes and feel every emotion he feels. He is the star of the story, and Ford realizes that with loving detail.
The publisher’s age rating for The Space Cat is ages 8-12, which is on point, but readers of all ages can enjoy Periwinkle’s adventures. Some humans are mean toward Periwinkle and other animals, but bravery and kindness triumph over any maliciousness, whether human or alien. One minor note is that Periwinkle and the other animals communicate with an abbreviated form of English, which may catch some readers unawares at first. However, it is an endearing trait that readers will soon pick up on, and Okorafor weaves it seamlessly with her human characters’ more natural English speech. Overall, The Space Cat is a must for any library collection. Be sure to check out the photos at the end of Nnedi, Anya, their other cat Neptune, and of course, Periwinkle!
The Space Cat By Nnedi Okorafor Art by Tana Ford Macmillan First Second, 2025 ISBN: 9781250817488
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
Chris O’Brien and Alicia Ochoa can’t stop graduation day. Literally – they’re stuck in a time loop and don’t know how to find their way out of it. You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne takes on graduating high school and all the fun that entails with a modern, sci-fi tinged angle.
Chris and Alicia are former childhood friends, now estranged classmates and about to be graduates of the class of 2025. Their paths diverged after Chris became one of the popular athletes. Senior year’s been tough, with his beloved swim coach suddenly passing away. He’s ready to be done this high school nonsense and start college in New York City alongside his girlfriend Andy. They haven’t had their first kiss yet, but the perfect spot for it, the biggest party of their teenage lives, is ahead of them. When nothing’s going as planned, Alicia comes to the rescue, taking Chris to the solution to his problem: a swirling portal inside a superstore that will help him relive the day and make things perfect. Except he gets stuck alongside Alicia who has been reliving their graduation day over and over on her own. Can they find a way out and manage to restart their friendship?
You and Me on Repeat reads like a perfect teenage romcom. There’s the rekindling of old relationships, the anxiety of the future ahead, and of course, the blow out party to end all parties. The writing, especially the occasional annotations that dot the pages, even feel like a voiceover effect while reading. But the characters have depth. Alicia is dealing with the expectations of being a first generation college student. Chris is dealing with grief that’s not always easy to articulate, plus the emotions of your first serious relationship.
The book is modern enough without being too obvious in its references; teenagers will recognize personalities and situations that match their own lives. There are some references to drinking and sexual activity, so it’s better suited for older teens, those closer to Chris and Alicia in age. These are only minimal and really nothing out of the ordinary for a young adult novel of any format.
The coloring is a highlight of the graphic novel’s art. The portal itself is a swirling rainbow, so each individual loop is colored in that specific color pattern. New loop, new color. It also helps with the storytelling as a visual cue that a new loop is beginning yet again. Shyne switches Alicia’s appearance up throughout the book too. She tries on different looks in some loops, another clear visual to show the changing days. It’s fun to see the characters evolve and find new details in the many, many loops we follow them through.
You and Me on Repeat is about an endless loop but it’s not repetitive storywise. The details of the loop grow as the days go on and new discoveries continue to be made. Teen readers who enjoy stories with elevated emotions alongside romance will find themselves both hoping the loop never ends and rooting for Alicia and Chris to find their ways out.
You and Me on Repeat By Mary Shyne Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, 2025 ISBN: 9781250851840
When an unremarkable player in an expansive virtual fantasy world discovers legendary blacksmithing abilities, it’s not exactly the answer to all his problems—but the ability to craft godlike equipment certainly goes a long way toward changing his circumstances.
Overgeared from IZE Press adapts this story of Youngwoo Shin from the Korean light novel of the same title. Youngwoo ks a bit of a loser in real life, and in the massive online VR Game Satisfy, he’s also a low ranging errand boy. However, when a job goes badly, he uses a powerful in-game item to turn his character into a smith and the successor to the greatest blacksmith in the game’s lore. Reset to base level but with an abundance of new abilities, Youngwoo decides to seize the opportunity in front of him in an effort to make something of himself in the game and out of it (there’s a pile of debt waiting for him back in the real world after all). However, alone and with the odds stacked against him, his only chance will be to craft an arsenal of advanced gear capable of offsetting his weaknesses (and there are many of those). It’s a difficult enough challenge on his own, but Youngwoo’s change has not gone unnoticed, and there are others who are quite interested in seeing what the newly forged smith will make of himself.
Volume 1 opens with intercuts of past and present, introducing Youngwoo’s in-game character named Grid in his overgeared state along with flashbacks to how this adventure began. It’s a bit of a jarring opening to follow, but once the stage is set, the story settles on following Grid in the immediate aftermath of his rebirth as an adventuring smith. There’s lots of game lore and rule mechanics mixed in with the gameplay, but with excitement and humor, the story strikes a fairly quick pace of daring and misadventures. Outside of the game, Youngwoo proves to be a bit of an unlikeable character. Struggling with money, jobs, and relationships, his video game addiction and general lack of motivation hang over his decisions. It’s early in the story yet, so there’s presumably room for growth, but it’s Grid’s sometimes bumbling attempts at gaining levels and fighting enemies that drives most of the story. Volume 1 already establishes a cast of in-game characters and conflicts that promise to kick off more shenanigans. And back in the real world, the game’s developers have also taken notice of Youngwoo’s new fortune, though it remains unclear exactly what they expect of him.
Illustrated in full color, this volume is a vibrant romp through the digital world of Satisfy. Video game menus and notifications are integrated into the story, visible to the characters as much as they are to the reader. And when the action kicks off, magic and combat explode across the page with stylization worthy of adventure comics and video games alike. The characters are distinct and the narrative is generally easy to follow, hitting the range of emotional beats effectively. It’s a comic that seems to relish its own concept and execution, and the art team brings the story to life with a visual language that’s engaging and fun to read.
On the whole, Overgeared is an enjoyable start to a new series. For those not thoroughly familiar with the genre already, the digressions into game mechanics and stats screens might be a bit distracting. And though I expect there’s much more to come, Youngwoo’s shortcomings as a protagonist make him occasionally tricky to root for with full sincerity. All that aside though, there’s a great deal to enjoy here in a comic that, while not necessarily treading any new ground, seems to have a great deal of fun setting out on an adventure. It’s a story aimed comfortably at teens, with plenty of fantasy violence but nothing too troubling in the content otherwise. Especially if readers have previously enjoyed titles like Solo Leveling and Ready Player One, Overgeared should find happy readers ready to settle into familiar territory and see where Grid’s often poor decision making leads next.
Overgeared Vol. One By Team Argo IZE Press, 2023 ISBN: 9798400900518
Related media: Book to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) Creator Representation: Korean, Character Representation: Korean,
Aren’t dogs great? Mr. Muffins is an active Corgi that lives with his human Reuben. They enjoy Frisbee and their days at the park. Reuben has his hands full with school and sports life, a very active and loyal Mr. Muffins, and his mom who has high expectations. In Reuben’s family, family comes first, before anything he wants. When does Reuben get to do what he wants? He wishes he had no responsibilities, like Mr. Muffins.
THEN, a spaceship crashes into the park, and an alien tries to kidnap Mr. Muffins because he’s apparently the vessel of a space hero whose light can defeat some invading alien bullies, and then the bullies show up! Phew, that’s a lot. But after a quick text to Mom, Corgi and Human to the rescue! The homework can wait, right? Mr. Muffins (and Reuben) are off to space to defend the homeworld of the Voltarian Alliance from the Hakaran Armada. Mr. Muffins has his paws full leading the Voltarian defense, but Reuben finds ways to contribute too. After all, he has a responsibility to family, right? Mr. Muffin’s responsibility is to save the galaxy, but will he succeed? Two words: Mecha-Corgi! Yikes!
Reuben’s family is Muslim, which adds to a needed diversity. The pages are paced perfectly, and they’re very funny. (“wait….where is she going? …oh. Oh no.”) Mr. Muffins’ flight path is marked by a very Nyan Cat-type rainbow. The frames and gutters are mostly rectangular and traditional, except when they take on a Manga-type trapezoidal arrangement with manpu galore!
This is a very enjoyable story about family, responsibility, the unique relationship between dogs and humans, and being there for friends. It’s appropriate for ages 6-14 and has no violence or adult themes.
Mr. Muffin: Defender of the Stars By Ben Kahn Art by Georgeo Brooks Oni Press, 2025 ISBN: 9781620108321
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation: Muslim Character Representation: Egyptian-American,
Picture this establishing shot in the opening scene of a movie: A howling wind blows across miles of sand dunes. Its towers partially crumbled, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco stands amidst this sandy wasteland. A lone mermaid glides by to some unknown destination. Thus begins the dystopian saga of Derek Kirk Kim’s (Same Difference and Other Stories, The Eternal Smile) The Last Mermaid, a story set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world plagued by desolation shrouded in mystery and adventure.
The story begins with a solitary mermaid accompanied by a tiny salamander-looking companion named Lottie who stays by her side. Driven by a memory from her late mother, she presses onwards in search of a legendary silver trident that points to home, “where the water stretches to the horizon in every direction as far as the eye can see.” Stepping into a transformable robot suit, she learns that the suit is rapidly draining power while toxic levels in the water rise. How long will they survive? Pan over to another angle, and a lone figure, cloak billowing in the wind, stands atop the bridge, eyeing the mermaid and her faithful companion. Is he a threat or an ally? Meanwhile, predatory cyborg creatures and cannibalistic monsters lurk about the rough terrain of this strange and bizarre land, wreaking destruction in their wake.
His first graphic novel in a decade, Derek Kirk Kim conjures up a dystopian fantasy that delves into uncharted waters toward an uncertain future. Numerous wordless panels propel the plot forward against the lush background of sprawling desert wastelands saturated in rusted orange juxtaposed by the light turquoise hues underneath the ocean waters, exuding the sea-like ambience of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and scorched deserts of Frank Herbert’s Dune. The manga-like mecha and its versatile transformation from a walking robot to a motor vehicle by which the mermaid travels adds a unique flair to this cinematically rendered, stroboscopic panel-sequencing story. Survival and the quest to finding a way home is fueled by a tinge of hope that resonates in the balance.
Stunning artwork transports readers into an immersive world within the open pages of this dystopian saga. The back matter features a gallery of character designs and concept artwork from a variety of artists with varied takes on the book’s characters. Collecting the first six issues, this volume sets the stage that pulls readers into a ravaged world populated by mutant nightmares and unforeseen dangers. As the introductory arc to a larger story, The Last Mermaid will expand the imaginative breadth of science fiction narratives for both older teen and adult graphic novel collections.
The Last Mermaid, Book 01 By Derek Kirk Kim Image, 2024 ISBN: 9781534359215
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Korean-American,
The world of Blade Runner has always favored Japanese aesthetics. This is not uncommon in the cyberpunk fiction of the 1980s, which was born of a belief that Japan would come to dominate the world of technology. The irony is that, for all that influence, Blade Runner is intensely focused on American interests. The original movie was set entirely in Los Angeles and the spinoffs which followed remained largely set in southern California. This makes Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus notable as the first work in the franchise to be set outside of the United States or deep space.
Our story is set in 2015, four years before the events of the first Blade Runner movie. The action centers around former soldiers, Mead and Stix. After leaving the service, they came to Tokyo and established a detective agency. However, there’s a lot in their past they don’t want uncovered. For one thing, Stix is a Replicant; one of the class of artificially created human that are technically illegal on Earth. However, they both went AWOL after deciding they didn’t want to die on a suicide mission and stole some classified information as they made their escape.
The sins of their past catch up with the duo, as their latest case forces them to butt heads with the Yakuza. There is also the complication of an American Blade Runner arriving in Tokyo, hunting a rogue Replicant that has started killing to cover their tracks. The Blade Runner is convinced Stix is her man, but even that hunt may be covering up something bigger. Something tied into the Tyrell Corporation and a group of rogue scientists seeking to create their own Replicants outside of the Tyrell machine.
Writer Kianna Shore does a fantastic job of capturing the aura of the Blade Runner setting while presenting this world’s take on Tokyo. There are plots within plots and multiple intrigues, as Mead tries to investigate a murder while throwing the Blade Runner off the scent of the one friend she has. At the same time, it becomes apparent that Stix has his own secrets, even if he isn’t the killer in question. All the characters are engaging, and the secret heavy story is sure to keep readers guessing until the end.
The artwork of Mariano Taibo is equally engaging. Despite the Noir aesthetic of the story, the artwork is unusually bright and airy. This creates an immediate visual contrast with the dark alleys and neon glow that dominated the Los Angeles of the Blade Runner film. What is more, we see the sun. This might not seem like a huge point, but it’s a rather amazing revelation given the original movie depicted a city shrouded in perpetual rain and gloom even in the light of day. And yet, despite this disparate distinction, this is still undoubtedly a Blade Runner story, with high octane action and intense combat sequences.
Titan Comics rates this first volume as appropriate for readers 15 and up. I believe that to be an appropriate rating. There is considerable violence and bloodshed. There is even a scene showing a dead Replicant being dissected. However, there is nothing here that would be considered excessive for an audience of older teenagers. There is no suggestion of sex and one nude Replicant with undistinguished anatomy in a body bag.
Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Die In Peace By Kianna Shore Art by Mariano Taibo Titan, 2025 ISBN: 9781787738492
Company Age Rating: 15+ Related media: Movie to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Korean-American, Character Representation: Black, Japanese,
Set in a future where videogames are all virtual reality (VR) based, Shangri-La Frontier (SLF) is a multi-player fantasy game with lots of unique characters, scenarios, and items, making it stand out from other VR games that are not well-developed and full of bugs and broken mechanics. Sunraku is a player that tackles these terrible games as a challenge; however, he picks up SLF during summer break and discovers his own unique scenario that keeps drawing him back to the game. His unconventional choices come from his many hours playing broken games and wanting to maximize his fun.
In volume one, Sunraku skips the beginning tutorial town and almost dies from the area boss monster guarding the second town. Wanting to get ahead of most of the players, he goes back to exploring after purchasing some new gear. While exploring, he runs into one of the unique boss monsters of the game, which don’t respawn after being beaten by players. He puts up a good fight but is no match for Lycagon; however, the beast acknowledges the strength of the player by cursing Sunraku to not be able to wear armor on his torso or legs and lower-level monsters will avoid him. Shortly after that, Sunraku finds a unique scenario involving a vorpal rabbit leading him to a hidden area called Rabituza.
In volume two, Sunraku is targeted by a group of player-killers (pk’ers) after an image of him with the unique non-player character (NPC) vorpal rabbit Emul is posted to an online forum without his permission. One of the pk’ers is an old gaming buddy, so we learn more about Sunraku’s other gaming adventures with Pencilgon and Katzo, who joins the game later. Sunraku is saved from being pk’d by a player known as Psyger-0, the “Attack Master,” who’s a female classmate with a crush on him but is too shy to even say hello. Next, Sunraku goes back to Rabituza to tackle the unique training scenario he was offered. He must fight a total of ten bouts with monsters, using only vorpal weapons, and wearing an item that lowers the experience he earns.
Volume three shows Sunraku finishing the epic training scenario and Pencilgon deciding that her clan has failed her game aspirations, and she needs to form a new group who can help her. After helping him escape pk-ers a second time, Psyger-0 sends a friend request to Sunraku, which he accepts to be polite and because he didn’t want to offend such a high-level player. This is when Sunraku explores the world by going into the Prismatic Forest Grotto and observing the monsters that populate the area. Pencilgon explains her plan to Sunraku and Katzo to take down one of the unique NPCs, Wethermon. The rest of this volume and the fourth shows how they prepare for this epic fight as well as its beginning.
This series is a unique contribution to action manga that utilizes isekai tropes, explores multiple game settings, and the interactions of characters in the game as well as outside of it. Due to the on-page violence and use of adult language, this is firmly a teen and up series; however, it is not much different from videogames that this audience plays anyway. In fact, gamers are the target audience. Adult readers would also find a lot to enjoy, especially the extras found in between chapters. This is where you can find additional lore about the games, monsters, items, and characters. Sometimes it repeats information that was explained during the story but sometimes it is new information that wouldn’t necessarily be easy to convey in the story without interrupting the pacing but enhances the reader’s knowledge. The illustrations have great detail and add to the world building as well and are one of my favorite aspects of this series after character building.
There are currently fourteen physical volumes available to purchase with the fifteenth set to be released at the end of February. If you have access to a platform that provides digital manga, there are eighteen volumes available. Another note is that we featured this series in our recent anime column, Anime Club Picks. The first season of anime covers the first six volumes of manga while the second season picks up immediately where the first stopped. Patrons who want to read ahead of the anime as it airs will find plenty of material as will readers looking to learn more about the world presented.
Shangri-La Frontier Vol. 1-4 By Katarina Art by Ryosuke Fuji Kodansha, 2022 ISBN: 9781646514823
Volume
ISBN
2
9781646514830
3
9781646514847
4
9781646514854
Company Age Rating: 16+ Series ISBNs and Order Related media: Comic to TV
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Ten years ago, Max Brallier ended the world for the first time with the illustrated middle grade reader The Last Kids on Earth, a funny romp through a zombie and monster infected post-Apocalyptic suburbia. The interceding decade brought about nine books, three seasons of a Netflix animated series, and now a graphic novel.
This new graphic novel, still written by Brallier with art by Brian Churilla, follows the original book very faithfully, introducing readers to our everykid protagonist 13-year-old Jack Sullivan who sees himself as “…totally not a hero. Totally not a tough guy. Totally not fighting giant monsters” as he fights a giant monster. Jack is joined by fellow survivors and former classmates Quint, June, and Dirk as the four try to figure out how to navigate this new, adult-free world and the perils that await them at every turn. Cleverness and curiosity are both key to survival and the kids’ differences add to their collective strength. Despite the extreme circumstances, the characters are intensely real. They are incredibly well drawn, realistic kids who may be caught up in the wild adventure of the zombie world around them, but they are also scared or lonely or overwhelmed. They are kids who felt forgotten or alone. These are characters the target readers see themselves in and want to grow with.
It’s tricky to review a graphic adaptation of an illustrated chapter book, especially one that stays this true to its source material. Churilla’s art mirrors the style and aesthetic of the original illustrations by Douglas Holgate, with only minor changes in sharpness and the depth that comes with full color art. The characters still look like their original concepts as do the monsters and the only real difference in the story is the formatting. The graphic is a nice, quick read and, like the original, will appeal to Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid readers.
The graphic version of The Last Kids on Earth is not doing anything new: it’s the same story with almost the same illustrations. There’s even a 4th wall breaking joke about it on the back cover, with Quint mentioning a sense of deja vu. But it’s also not trying to be new and it doesn’t need to be. It’s still fun and it’s still exciting and it still strikes a cord with its readers. I’ve had to hide my copy while working on this review because my kids kept trying to steal it from me. All three of them, with ages from 7 to 14, read the original and all three have been fighting me for their turn with this. They don’t care that it’s not new. They care that it’s there.
Sometimes graphic adaptations are a chance to update narratives and change perspective with changing sensibilities or to expand a universe or otherwise give readers something unexpected. And sometimes they’re a chance to see the thing you loved in a slightly different way. This adaptation doesn’t reinvent the wheel because the wheel still works. This new version not only has the potential to give longtime fans something new to enjoy, but to introduce new readers to the series.
The Last Kids on Earth The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 By Max Brallier Art by Brian Churilla Penguin Random House Viking Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 9780593622162
Company Age Rating: 13-18
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
JieJie and her little brother DiDi live in a desert wasteland outside of a bustling metropolis known as Oasis City. Their mother works long, grueling hours in order to get her children admitted to the city. JieJie does her best to keep her little brother in good spirits and acts as sister, best friend, and mother. But this is no job for a child. Scavenging for water, enduring sandstorms, and trying to make nutritious meals from dry packets weigh heavily on JieJie. Things change when the children come across a scrapped AI robot in a junkyard. This new addition to the family is able to do pretty much everything their original mother can and the children begin to develop a familial love for her. Despite the story’s dark premise, it ends on a very hopeful note.
I do want to draw attention (pun intended) to the beautiful illustrations in this book. The character designs are minimal and delicate – the people in this story have a cartoonish, child-friendly design that is almost evocative of dolls or toys and I think the whole vibe endears them to the reader. The harsh environments and settings are realistically rendered, and Goujing makes excellent use of color and highlight to bring out the despair and hope in the story.
Oasis has a lot of potential for dark storytelling, but ultimately leaves these plot threads behind to favor a saccharine ending. I feel that there was a rich vein to mine about AI, environmentalism, the nature of work in capitalist societies (a very haunting connection is drawn between the children’s mother and the AI robot), and how all of those things have the potential to just slam together and what sort of disasters it might create.
But really, this book is not necessarily trying to speak to me personally. As the author states, the book was inspired by the “left-behind children” of China—children who live in rural areas while their parents seek work in cities. A happy ending is what we want to give these children who are so far away from their parents, and it’s easy to see that desire reflected in the story. The publisher describes it as “filled with equal parts hope and suspense,” and I am inclined to agree.
Oasis By Guojing Macmillan, 2025 ISBN: 9781250818386
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation: Chinese, Character Representation: Chinese,
In the future, a great Galactic Federation unites hundreds of worlds across the galaxy. But in the dark space between the stars and civilized worlds, evil flourishes. Pirates. Slavers. Mad scientists. Doomsday Cultists. All manner of evil-doer who seek to prey on those innocent settlers of remote worlds who cannot defend themselves.
Yet the final frontier is not completely lawless. For there is a vigilante who stands for those forced to bend a knee to oppression. He is a grim spectre who disappears as quickly as he appears. The tales of his deeds are many, yet his origins are a mystery. The one thing that is agreed upon is his name—Space Ghost!
Some say he is a lawman who abandoned his post to confront those criminals his bosses would ignore. Others say he is a literal shade, back from the dead to seek revenge on those who destroyed his homeworld. The only ones who know even a fraction of his true story are Jan and Jace, two orphans the Phantom of the Spaceways adopted. Two children, with a super-intelligent test monkey named Blip, who may come to know the heart of a hero, and in time, help to mend it.
Space Ghost was one of the most popular of the superhero cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera. Designed by the legendary Alex Toth, Space Ghost was unusual in that he was never given an official original story. He also enjoyed impressive longevity in reruns, with his original show only numbering 20 episodes. He is somewhat more famous (or perhaps infamous) as the star of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, a 1990’s talk show made with recycled animation, which set the stage for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block of absurdist cartoons for adults.
David Pepose stays true to the spirit of the original animated series, while updating the general tone for modern audiences. This is no grim-and-gritty reboot, thank goodness. If anything, the comic sticks closer to its core concept of “Batman in space” than the original cartoons did.
This is a comic that runs with its science-fiction superhero premise and explores the intricacies of its universe in detail. Pepose does not shy away from the evil or insanity of the villains, but neither does he make them evil for evil’s sake. Even the mad mantis Zorak, reimagined here as a cultist who seeks to bring about the apocalypse, has a method to his madness. Despite this more mature tone, nearly every issue has a lesson to impart to the reader as Jan, Jace and even Space Ghost learn something from their latest adventure.
The artwork of Jonathan Lau is similarly detailed and driven. The action sequences where we first see (and then don’t see) Space Ghost are truly intense and magical. The designs of the many villains are clearly modeled on Toth’s work, but with subtle changes that make them into something new and generally horrifying. The color art is also amazing throughout.
Dynamite Entertainment rates this volume as appropriate for Ages 12 and up. I agree with that assessment. There is no sex or nudity in this book, unsurprisingly. There is considerable violence, however, and some truly intense moments. There is nothing inappropriate for a teen audience, however. Indeed, I think this book will mostly appeal to those fans of superheroes and science fiction looking for a step away from Batman. There’s broad appeal to both genders, as well, with Jan being the better marksman of the siblings and Jace being more comfortable piloting the Phantom Cruiser.
Space Ghost Vol 1: With Only Ghosts to Comfort Us By David Pepose Art by Jonathan Lau Dynamite, 2024 ISBN: 9781524126858
Company Age Rating: 12+ Related media: TV to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
Character Representation: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
He is Pumpernickel Pickle Periwinkle Chukwu Okorafor, but you may call him Periwinkle. At night, when his Earth family is asleep, Periwinkle flies his ship beyond the atmosphere and embraces his other identity… Space Cat!
Chris O’Brien and Alicia Ochoa can’t stop graduation day. Literally – they’re stuck in a time loop and don’t know how to find their way out of it. You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne takes on graduating high school and all the fun that entails with a modern, sci-fi tinged angle.
answer to all his problems—but the ability to craft godlike equipment certainly goes a long way toward changing his circumstances.
Reuben has his hands full with school and sports life, a very active and loyal Mr. Muffins, and his mom who has high expectations. In Reuben’s family, family comes first, before anything he wants. When does Reuben get to do what he wants? He wishes he had no responsibilities, like Mr. Muffins.
crumbled, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco stands amidst this sandy wasteland. A lone mermaid glides by to some unknown destination. Thus begins the dystopian saga of Derek Kirk Kim’s (Same Difference and Other Stories, The Eternal Smile) The Last Mermaid, a story set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world plagued by desolation shrouded in mystery and adventure.
was born of a belief that Japan would come to dominate the world of technology. The irony is that, for all that influence, Blade Runner is intensely focused on American interests. The original movie was set entirely in Los Angeles and the spinoffs which followed remained largely set in southern California. This makes Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus notable as the first work in the franchise to be set outside of the United States or deep space.
Set in a future where videogames are all virtual reality (VR) based, Shangri-La Frontier (SLF) is a multi-player fantasy game with lots of unique characters, scenarios, and items, making it stand out from other VR games that are not well-developed and full of bugs and broken mechanics. Sunraku is a player that tackles these terrible games as a challenge; however, he picks up SLF during summer break and discovers his own unique scenario that keeps drawing him back to the game. His unconventional choices come from his many hours playing broken games and wanting to maximize his fun.
Ten years ago, Max Brallier ended the world for the first time with the illustrated middle grade reader The Last Kids on Earth, a funny romp through a zombie and monster infected post-Apocalyptic suburbia. The interceding decade brought about nine books, three seasons of a Netflix animated series, and now a graphic novel.
long, grueling hours in order to get her children admitted to the city. JieJie does her best to keep her little brother in good spirits and acts as sister, best friend, and mother. But this is no job for a child. Scavenging for water, enduring sandstorms, and trying to make nutritious meals from dry packets weigh heavily on JieJie. Things change when the children come across a scrapped AI robot in a junkyard. This new addition to the family is able to do pretty much everything their original mother can and the children begin to develop a familial love for her. Despite the story’s dark premise, it ends on a very hopeful note.
civilized worlds, evil flourishes. Pirates. Slavers. Mad scientists. Doomsday Cultists. All manner of evil-doer who seek to prey on those innocent settlers of remote worlds who cannot defend themselves.
