“Everything ends,” says W. Maxwell Prince’s newest compilation of linked stories. But as is true of any Prince release, there’s more here than meets the eye.
Prince and Image comics give us Swan Songs, a series of six loosely connected narratives, each in their own way about endings. We open simply enough—with the end of the world. This grand cataclysm is grounded intimately in a hospital-bound mother and the son who fights to care for her amidst the end of everything. From there we travel through the end of a marriage and the eternal mortal combat. Husband and wife agree to face across fantastic realities as they reckon with young love and fractured connection. We cross the aftermath of a prison sentence and a biblically-infused post-apocalyptic story of a new Eden. We go deep into the psyche of a man who cannot feel joy and we end at a sidewalk that extends out into nothing. But, as the comic asks each time in its own way, is this truly where these stories end after all?
Prince has shown himself to be truly at home in the weird, stitching together narratives of people living through the uncertain and often uncomfortable realities of existence. Though there is significantly less horror in this volume than some of his other works, Swan Songs is a compelling blend of truly strange storytelling and deeply poignant themes. From calamities to eternal combat to the depths of the human subconscious, the writing and imagery across this series is sometimes tangible and other times utterly surreal. Nevertheless, the characters facing these strange circumstances are immediate and recognizable—people awash in humanity and doubt, doing the best they can to find connection. I don’t know how Prince manages to do it, but each new comic he releases somehow feels more powerful than the last. The final issue here presents a twisted inversion of Shel Silverstein’s famous work. While this issue initially felt like the weakest in the collection, it manages to rouse itself to a quiet but powerful conclusion, drawing together questions that have built through each preceding story and leaving the book with a powerful send-off. It’s an ending that leaves things open without feeling at all like it has abandoned the reader before the time is right. And this works because even when the story ends—life still goes on.
Pairing with Prince’s writing, six artists bring their talents to capturing each entry in this tapestry of endings. Showcasing some notable names in contemporary comics, the shifting styles move between color palates and visual aesthetics as the real gives way to the unreal across these pages. Each artist brings a distinct style to their chapter, but this is an anthology where every artist stands strong on their own. At the same time, the six recognizable styles feed into each other and manage to create a cohesive whole despite the only vague threads tying them together. Prince’s writing is gripping, but these artists provide a visual journey that carries the reader along into some fascinating places.
Image gives Swan Songs a Mature rating and with a spread of sex, violence, strong language, and mature themes, this is clearly a volume aimed at adults. However, it’s difficult to convey just how much lies between the covers of this this book. Anyone interested in comics that manage to be surreal, dark, hopeful, and contemplative all at once will find something to enjoy. There are subtle references to Ice Cream Man to be found, so anyone who is an established fan of Prince’s other work is sure to be intrigued. But for those who want an entry point that is less horrific than the Ice Cream Man series, there’s darkness here, but it combines with a meditative melancholy that offers more possibility than the sometimes nihilistic undertones which run through Prince’s other offerings.
In summary, as with Prince’s other work, Swan Songs is weird, surreal, dark, and more complex than one might expect—but in spite of all its strangeness, he remains an immensely compelling storyteller who is playing with the possibilities of the format while delving deeper and deeper into the strange uncertainties that make us human. I never know where he’s headed next, and I will keep reading across every unexpected chapter spanning our world and imagined others.
Swan Songs Vol. 1 By W. Maxwell Prince Art by Martin Simmonds, Caspar Wijngaard, Filipe Andrade, Caitlin Yarsky Image, 2024 ISBN: 9781534398283
Publisher Age Rating: M NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+)
Creator Representation: British, Portuguese Character Representation: Neurodivergent
In a far off land, in a time long ago, there are monsters called Karmas. Karmas are a blight on the land and the people, growing more powerful as they absorb the sins of those poor souls they devour. The only ones capable of defeating a karma are the Children of Impurity—an order of monster-hunters who can destroy a Karma forever by taking the evil into themselves.
While the Children of Impurity are respected, they are not well-liked. The darkness they absorb tends to slowly make them more inhuman in behavior and appearance. They also tend not to live long, either dying in battle or falling prey to the evil that consumes them from the inside out.
Ran is a Child of Purity who has trouble relating to people, even ignoring the difficulties of his curse. He attracts the attention of Torue, a third-generation bard, whose songs he enjoys while passing through a village in need. Torue has memorized all the sagas of old, but longs to create her own songs and stories. This leads her to follow Ran (who she thinks is quite handsome, even if his smile is kind of creepy), hoping to write an epic ballad about his great deeds.
One can’t help but be reminded of The Witcher while reading The Poetry of Ran. There seems little effective difference between the Children of Impurity and the Witchers in practice. True, Ran is more awkward than anti-social, and his sidekick is a perky lass who worries about her breasts being too big. In terms of action, however, Ran and Torue invite comparison to Geralt and Dandelion.
Thankfully, while The Poetry of Ran’s plots may be standard fantasy fare, the supporting cast make it memorable. This is a mixed blessing, however. Some of the supporting characters, like the dragon hunter Jill and the elven Child of Purity, Mina, are far more interesting than the stoic Ran and spoony Torue. They seem to be set up as recurring characters, but one wishes they were the leads.
The artwork is a larger problem than the stock plots. Yusuke Osawa is a great character designer and crafts unique looks for all the characters. Unfortunately, their action sequences are overdrawn and there’s little sense of flow between the panels, particularly in chapters three and four. I found it incredibly difficult to tell what was going on thanks to the intense close-ups of Ran fighting various giant Karmas.
This volume is rated 15+ by Titan Manga. I find that to be a fair assessment of the volume and the series to date. There is some bloodshed, but not as much as one would normally expect in an Older Teen manga. There is some mild sexual content, between all the references to Torue’s large chest. There is also a scene in which Mina flirts with Torue and makes her feel very uncomfortable. It is unclear, however, if Torue is just uncomfortable with sex in general or embarassed to think of herself in comparison to the inhumanly beautiful Mina.
The Poetry of Ran, Vol. 1 By Yusuke Osawa Titan, 2024 ISBN: 9781787741645
Publisher Age Rating: 15+ NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18)
Life isn’t easy for an ex-con. It is even worse when you’re an ex-supervillain in Twilight City.
Frankie “Playtime” Follis was a prodigy, pushed into villainy by her mother after she manifested the power to make any toy into a weapon. Now, fresh out of prison, she’s unable to find any work beyond making drinks at a seedy bar catering to the low-level supervillains she’s meant to be avoiding as part of her parole. Still, Frankie keeps to the code of honor the blue-collar baddies abide by, though she wants nothing more than to rebuild her life and win back custody of her daughter, Maggie.
Unfortunately, Frankie is pulled back into the life after the archvillain called The Stickman kills Kid Dusk, the sidekick of Twilight City’s protector, The Insomniac. This makes the stalwart hero snap, sending him on a violent killing spree targeting every villain in town while searching for Stickman. With Insomniac’s fellow heroes covering up his crimes, it falls to Frankie and a rag-tag group of has-beens and henchmen to bring Stickman to justice while Twilight City is still standing.
Minor Threats is not a wholly original story. Much as Watchmen put a mature spin on the classic heroes of Charlton Comics, Minor Threats is a dark and darkly hilarious Batman story that DC Comics would never dare publish. Most of the characters are clearly parodies of Batman, Robin, Joker, Riddler and more. Yet there are some original ideas, such as Scalpel, a supervillain surgeon who makes her living offering off-the-books medical care to costumed criminals… for a percentage of their earnings, of course.
Writers Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum make every joke one would expect regarding the silliness of costumed criminals, boy wonders and how many masked heroes need psychiatric help. Thankfully, Minor Threats proves to be far more than a collective of gags about popular superheroes and genre conventions. Oswalt and Blum bring true pathos to the five supervillains forced to become reluctant (not quite) heroes, developing them into full characters rather than cardboard cliches.
The five leads’ origin stories tackle a variety of serious issues, ranging from abusive parents to coming out of the closet to embrace true love. The effect is not unlike the duo’s previous writing for the MODOK animated series or The Venture Bros. Serious emotions mix with dark comedy to tell a truly original tale.
The artwork by Scott Hepburn is equally well done. Much like Dave Gibbons on Watchmen, Hepburn draws Minor Threats like a traditional comic book. This only adds to the visual dissonance as the action goes at right angles to every expectation of a typical superhero story.
Dark Horse Comics rates Minor Threats as appropriate for ages 14 and up. I believe that to be a fair assessment of the book’s content. There is a fair bit of violence and some disturbing scenes of children dying and parents being killed in front of their kids, as well as a bit of adult language. There is no nudity or sexual content, making this safe for most teen audiences.
Minor Threats A Quick End To A Long Beginning Vol. 01 By Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, , Art by Scott Hepburn, Ian Hrring, Nate Piekos, Dark Horse, 2023 ISBN: 9781506729992
Publisher Age Rating: 14+
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
Character Representation: Black, Gay, Neurodivergent, Ambiguous Mental Illness
After his mother suffers a stroke, Noel leaves Berlin to live in a somewhat isolated town in a rural area in Germany. As he gets to know his housemates and quirky neighbors he starts to ease into his new life. The book is made up of short episodes and, while there are continuing plotlines, it’s mostly a slice of life story. What sets it apart is that Noel is neurodivergent, as are most of the citizens at Neuerkerode, an inclusive village that houses 800 people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and over 500 staff members. Mikaël Ross accepted the opportunity to produce a graphic novel honoring the real life 150 year history of Neuerkerode’s mission, spending lengthy visits learning about the village and its citizens. This edition by Fantagraphics has been translated from German by Nika Knight.
The Thud is told from Noel’s perspective, occasionally with brief narration by him. There are no labels or diagnoses talked about when it comes to Noel and the other citizens. Even the phrases “developmental disabilities” and “intellectual disabilities” only ever appear on the inside of the book jacket. The characters are presented entirely through their interactions and behavior. It’s not always clear who are citizens and who are staff (I’m still not sure about the man in the police rain jacket), speaking directly to the inclusive intentions of the village. The diversity of the citizens encompasses many types of physical and mental ability. In the beginning, Noel is seen needing his mother’s guidance in social situations and his movement into care at Neuerkode is murky. Valentin, one of Noel’s housemates, has a fascination and encyclopedic knowledge of dates—births and deaths of everyone from Princess Di to his beloved cat Fluffy IV, and an intense need to stick to schedules. Alice, who pops up a lot, is shown having a seizure at one point, bringing back Noel’s trauma from hearing his mother fall to the ground in the start of the story. One of the highlights of the type of care offered by the village is supposed to be social freedom, which is the central element to the episodes in the book. The staff mostly intervenes when injuries happen from out of control actions or the citizens find themselves too far afield.
The characters and antics in The Thud are charming and engaging. Noel looks for love and rock and roll (the real Neuerkode is currently home to three bands). He contemplates what it means for something to die and to lose someone. There’s not a lot of depth in many of the side characters, just comments or short conversations. In an article for Der Tagesspiegal, Ross talks about how probing interviews with citizens didn’t get him very far in his research stage, but hanging around the public areas did, as they would come up to him and offer up far more. Reading the book feels like people watching. This is a limitation on its depiction of the citizens in that it feels respectful and realistic, but remains on the surface. At the same time, Ross doesn’t impose the many problematic tropes that often exist in fiction about neurodiverse characters by neurotypical writers. The lack of labels and diagnoses works to present the characters as people rather than examples; it never feels as though Ross is saying “this is what a person with autism is like,” preserving the actual diversity of neurodiversity.
There’s positivity and community exhibited in the book, but Ross doesn’t engage with any of the controversies surrounding communities that separate people from the rest of society. The whirlwind of Noel’s move from Berlin to Neuerkode does retain the confusion and fear that comes from having a major life decision carried out without your input, but Ross doesn’t editorialize further than that. Working for the foundation that supports Neuerkode doesn’t stop him from shining a brief light on a dark chapter when Noel speaks with an older citizen. Irma tells him the story of the Nazis who were placed in charge of the village and hiding from them when they came to take the inhabitants to their deaths.
The art and style are emotionally intense. The sketchy art blends realistic features and cartoonish expressions. It is very European, but not in a way that is inaccessible to an American audience. The colored pencil palette is dramatic, keyed to characters’ reactions as well as moody environments. A standout is the scene in the disco where a dense mottled rainbow of thick distinct lines provide the sonic and socially charged backdrop for Noel and his crush. The draftsmanship of many of the establishing backgrounds makes me wonder about the documentary angle of the book—would I recognize them if I were to visit Neuerkode? Aside from a handful of expertly employed splash pages, the panel structure is simple and straightforward. Ross uses speech bubbles to punch up the dialog, jagged lines and irregular outlines conveying the volume and energy of the speaker. This physicality of the dialog really helps bring the characters to life.
A Junior Library Guild selection, Fantagraphics bills The Thud as a YA graphic novel. There’s a stylized naked statue of a woman and a hilarious episode where Noel and Valentin are introduced to a pornographic DVD (the cover is shown featuring a topless woman) with the tv off panel, otherwise no nudity or sex. The general plotline of just trying to get along with the bunch of people you’ve found yourself surrounded by will speak to teens and adults, too. I recommend this for all collections that serve adults and teens. Neurodiverse readers may recognize aspects of themselves in the characters and neurotypical readers may experience some empathic breaking down of expectations of people they perceive as different.
The Thud By Mikael Ross Fantagraphics, 2021 ISBN: 9781683964063
Publisher Age Rating: age 13-18
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: German Character Representation: Neurodivergent
Despite the short run of the original series, Joss Whedon’s Firefly went on to be a cult classic and cultural phenomenon that has found continued life across media forms as numerous creators have added their voices to the ongoing story. (Whedon himself has faced a number of abuse allegations in recent years, so readers may like to know that he had no direct involvement with this volume aside from originally creating the characters.) Firefly: The Unification War Deluxe Edition is set alongside the timeline of the original show, combining an original story with a look back at the conflict which forever altered the shape of the Firefly universe.
From BOOM! Studios, The Unification War sees Greg Pak penning a new adventure for Whedon’s iconic characters as they scrape out a living on the fringes of an inter-planetary society divided along lines of resources and ideology. A seemingly simple protection job quickly spirals out of control when Mal and Zoe—captain and first mate of the Firefly class transport ship Serenity—find themselves wanted for alleged war crimes during the Unification War. Stranded on a hostile planet, caught in a web of ever-shifting partnerships and betrayals, and pursued by a fierce agent of the harsh Alliance government, the past they thought they had left behind comes crashing into the present. What began as a simple attempt to earn money and repair their grounded ship soon releases ripples that tear open the wounds of the failed fight against Alliance control and threaten to unleash another round of bloodshed on veterans and civilians alike. Through the eyes of new and familiar characters, Pak weaves together memories with an examination of the moral uncertainty of large-scale conflict and the scars it leaves behind. As best intentions drive everything toward an explosive clash, Mal and Zoe will be forced to reckon with their pasts if they are to have any hope of protecting the future.
The Unification War promises to reveal the untold story of the war that shaped both Mal and Zoe into the characters we now know from the show. While it does deliver on this promise in part, the flashbacks we actually get are narrow and serve mostly to inform the present-day conflict of the comic’s central story. With plenty of page time for our favorite crew of misfits and filled with the banter that helped set the original show apart, The Unification War is a delightful return to the world of Firefly. Pak, along with a side story written by Josh Lee Gordon, demonstrate a clear familiarity with and love for the series in between section breaks decorated with quotes from the original series. There is a lot to love in the fast-paced and fun story told here—a story of crime and survival that ultimately finds its way into questions of humanity, morality, and the cost of violence.
Unfortunately, the opening promise of The Unification War is ultimately its weakest point. It delivers a fresh look into only a few moments of the war, reckoning more with the effect of the conflict than the actual events. And while there are plenty of strengths to the writing, a few key moments and the ultimate climax of the story feel out of character and out of continuity to what has already been established. The end result is a story that doesn’t quite deliver what established fans will be looking for—while also requiring a little too much familiarity with the larger universe to be fully enjoyed by readers new to the franchise.
Illustrated primarily by Dan McDaid, The Unification War delivers a rough and somewhat line heavy art style that is not out of place in the semi-lawless landscapes of the Firefly universe. With clear storytelling across action sequences and quiet moments alike, the artists serve to bring Pak’s story to life across nearly 400 pages of space-western adventure. Even as the central story transitions to the bonus chapters of backstory for new friends and old enemies, McDaid and the others capture the humor, desperation, and dark twists that this series has to offer.
Even as it deals with some more mature themes, Firefly: The Unification War can comfortably be read by older teens as well as adults. Grounded as it is in the larger universe, this volume will have the greatest appeal to existing fans of the show—but could serve as an entry point for anyone who enjoys science fiction or action and adventure comics with strong characters and themes as well as rich dialogue.
On the whole, The Unification War is an engaging new entry in the Firefly saga. It ultimately falls short on its promise to deliver the untold history of two of the series’ central characters, while also suffering from some unfortunate continuity missteps and a somewhat awkward open-ending. Its strengths are numerous enough that it’s worth the time of any fan looking for another romp alongside the crew of Serenity, and its shortcomings are not so glaring as to ruin the things the comic does well. The end result is a flawed but enjoyable adventure of war, survival, and found family that embraces the complexity, big themes, and fun mishaps that have made the franchise beloved by so many.
Firefly: The Unification War Deluxe Edition By Greg Pak, Josh Lee Gordon Art by Dan McDaid BOOM! Studios, 2020 ISBN: 9781684156023
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation: Korean-American Character Representation: Neurodivergent,
Kismet was the first Muslim superhero in comics. From Algeria, he first appeared in 1944 in Bomber Comics to fight Nazis behind enemy lines in World War II. Created by the pseudonymous Omar Tahan, after four issues, he disappeared from the comics arena as abruptly as he arrived. The character was rediscovered in 2007 by Bostonian academic (and Muslim convert) A. David Lewis, who revitalized and reworked the character to reflect contemporary problems. These problems, unfortunately, are the same issues facing the original Kismet: discrimination, prejudice, ignorance, the newly labeled alt-right, and the upsurge of Nazism. Kismet reappears in Boston, fused with activist Qadar Hussein in a deadly fight, and allied with Qadar’s sister Deena and her friend Rabia. With the death of Qadar, Kismet continues to invest his energies to fighting these unremitting evils. His superpower is his ability to see momentarily and instantaneous into the future, only enough to dodge an attack but not long enough to delve into impending actions.
The city of Boston is an active character in this volume through the contemporary landmarks and activities. Along with the strong and proud Muslim identification of the protagonist, this Boston is filled with citizens that are principally minorities and/or female. This Boston is unapologetically interracial and filled with characters of varied religious and sexual identities coexisting to bring the city alive and operational. There are no stereotypes here. Kismet is a man out of the past, but soon, with the aid of his friends, becomes a fighting force for social and political activism.
I found the illustrations muddy with a distinct partiality to dark backgrounds interspersed with infrequent brilliant splashes of reds and greens. Facial expressions are often hinted at rather than clear and I had difficulty at times differentiating characters. At the same time, however, the story arc was easy to follow and the solid characters rose above the muddiness to deliver a strong picture of today’s American society through the eyes of the past. The graphic novel is action packed and very relevant—public libraries for sure and high schools as well would benefit from having it in their collections.
Kismet: Man of Fate By A. David Lewis Art by Noel Tuazon ISBN: 9781949518009 A Wave Blue World, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: Adult
Browse for more like this title Character Traits: Neurodivergent, Multiracial, Lesbian, Genderqueer
At the start of Woman World, a genetic defect wipes out all male humans within a few generations. Then a series of natural disasters devastates the planet. From the ashes rises a new civilization: one made up only of women.
Then: wacky hijinks!
Despite its grim beginnings, this is a silly, sometimes sweet look at a post-apocalyptic—and post-man—world. Here, a village bands together under a flag bearing an image of Beyoncé’s thighs. (As we later discover, the neighboring villages also chose parts of Beyoncé’s body as their standards.) Within that village live women of a variety of ages, races, and body types. There’s the grandmother who is the only one who can remember real live men, and her granddaughter who scavenges through the ruins for pieces of the old world. (Her most prized discovery: a DVD of Paul Blart: Mall Cop.) There are single women and women in relationships, women writing poetry and women who have decided to be naked all the time. Together, they live a cooperative, generally peaceful existence.
In Woman World, men are remembered with a fond wistfulness, a lost part of human culture. But women don’t spend too much time missing or wondering about them: they’re busy living their lives. (That said, a lot of the jokes do involve people making incorrect assumptions about what the old world was like.)
The stakes are generally low in this slice-of-life comic. Conflicts arise from arguments, anxiety, and the occasional unrequited love. There is also concern about the future of the human race: surviving sperm banks are an option for women who want to have children, but they won’t last forever, and other methods are still experimental. But in the meantime, everyday concerns revolve mostly around relationships, romantic or platonic.
The book Woman World is a print collection of the popular Instagram webcomic of the same name. The art is grayscale, with a few full-color pages sprinkled through the book. There are usually three to five panels per page. Some pages can stand alone as one-off jokes, while others are part of continuing plot arcs. The characters’ faces are simple but expressive, while their distinctive body shapes, hairstyles, and outfits make them easy to tell apart. Shading indicates different skin and hair colors. One character has a prosthetic leg, and one has surgical scars; some have piercings or wrinkles or other visible differences that make them easy to distinguish while also making the world of the comic richer and more interesting.
As far as content, there is no violence and no on-page sex, just some kissing. There is frequent nudity, but it is never sexualized, and no genitals are drawn in, just triangles that are understood to be pubic hair. A small number of swear words appear, generally as part of a joke.
Woman World may portray a post-apocalyptic civilization roughing it in the wilderness among the ruins of our world, but it’s actually a rather relaxing read. The characters usually mean well, and no one gets hurt. Just women of all kinds supporting each other and going about their business, with some jokes thrown in. Hand it to anyone looking for a gently funny stand-alone read.
Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal ISBN: 9781770463356 Drawn & Quarterly, 2018
“Everything ends,” says W. Maxwell Prince’s newest compilation of linked stories. But as is true of any Prince release, there’s more here than meets the eye.
In a far off land, in a time long ago, there are monsters called Karmas. Karmas are a blight on the land and the people, growing more powerful as they absorb the sins of those poor souls they devour. The only ones capable of defeating a karma are the Children of Impurity—an order of monster-hunters who can destroy a Karma forever by taking the evil into themselves.
Life isn’t easy for an ex-con. It is even worse when you’re an ex-supervillain in Twilight City.
Kismet was the first Muslim superhero in comics. From Algeria, he first appeared in 1944 in Bomber Comics to fight Nazis behind enemy lines in World War II. Created by the pseudonymous Omar Tahan, after four issues, he disappeared from the comics arena as abruptly as he arrived. The character was rediscovered in 2007 by Bostonian academic (and Muslim convert) A. David Lewis, who revitalized and reworked the character to reflect contemporary problems. These problems, unfortunately, are the same issues facing the original Kismet: discrimination, prejudice, ignorance, the newly labeled alt-right, and the upsurge of Nazism. Kismet reappears in Boston, fused with activist Qadar Hussein in a deadly fight, and allied with Qadar’s sister Deena and her friend Rabia. With the death of Qadar, Kismet continues to invest his energies to fighting these unremitting evils. His superpower is his ability to see momentarily and instantaneous into the future, only enough to dodge an attack but not long enough to delve into impending actions.
At the start of Woman World, a genetic defect wipes out all male humans within a few generations. Then a series of natural disasters devastates the planet. From the ashes rises a new civilization: one made up only of women.
