Liliana, a planeswalker who can travel between planes aka dimensions, is taking time to reexamine her life as she teaches necromancy in Strixhaven. Unfortunately, her time there is interrupted by Tezzeret (another planeswalker)waiting in her office, where he attempts to kill her.During their battle, Tezzeret mentions some interesting facts about a planeswalker Liliana has never heard of in connection with a deadly opponent, Marit Lage. Once Tezzeret is defeated and flees, Liliana explores the vast Strixhaven library to learn more about Isona Maive, who has a rare amplification power. However, there is more to the story than the library reveals and soon Liliana must make a difficult choice: to be a hero or the villain.Â
Although this is a standalone volume, it is highly connected to the main comic series Magic from BOOM! Studios. There are several places within the story that are glossed over with a note that directs the reader to specific issues to read more. I don’t think this volume stands up by itself and would highly recommend that it only be added to collections that are also purchasing the main Magic series. This graphic novel series is not canon to the trading card game it is related to, but I loved learning more about the planeswalkers’ adventures and relationships. Isona is not currently part of the game, so it was exciting to explore an entirely new character.Â
The consistency of the artwork in this volume is great and each planeswalker is given a color scheme that matches their personality, making it easier for readers to follow the action depicted. I prefer when the same artist is used across issues for long running storylines, so it is great that the same artist is used for the main series as well as the side stories. This is especially helpful with so many different characters featured across arcs. High school and older readers will appreciate this world the most.Â
Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker By Mairghread Scott Art by Fabiana Mascolo BOOM! Studios, 2023 ISBN: 9781684158553
Related media:Â Game to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16)
In a world of monsters and monster hunters, not everyone faces the darkness with a weapon in hand.
Further expanding the world of Something is Killing the Children, series creator James Tynion IV hands off writing duties to Sam Johns for a fresh story featuring a new character and shining a light on a different corner of an increasingly complex world of monsters—both supernatural and human.
From BOOM! Studios, House of Slaughter: Scarlet offers a completely new narrative set in the aftermath of Erica Slaughter’s disruption of her order. With monster hunters spread thin and the future uncertain, Edwin Slaughter finds himself called away from his service as a scribe for the Order of St. George so that he may investigate rumors of monster activity at a summer camp. The job should be a simple matter of dispelling rumors, but there is something ancient beneath the lake and darkness creeping in at the edges. Even more dangerous may be the secrets of Edwin’s past, secrets even he himself no longer remembers.
With Sam Johns writing the script, this new volume in the House of Slaughter storyline adopts a slightly different tone from previous volumes. There are still plenty of monsters, but Edwin is not a hunter. With less action, our hero—a scribe with eidetic memory—has time to ponder the nature of the monsters themselves. As he debates with his monstrous familiar, Scarlet introduces a more philosophical bend than the series has previously seen. Still, as much as the story contemplates its big ideas, it doesn’t lose track of the fact that in this world monsters are real—and they are always dangerous. Ultimately, Scarlet does occasionally get weighed down, pondering its own ideas, but I love seeing a series take a risk, and even if this volume isn’t the best of the series, Johns brings a welcome new perspective to an engaging world.
Capturing all of this on the page, Letizia Cadonici delivers art that is both grim and fantastic, shaping a world that fits this story while complementing the visual style established elsewhere in this series. Eyes and masks remain a focus, telling us things about the characters as they issue veiled threats and navigate a hostile world. From flashbacks and moments of gruesome violence to sequences of art and imagination, Cadonici brings bold life to this newest chapter, populating Tynion and Johns’ world with both hunters and prey.
BOOM! doesn’t provide an age rating for this volume. These series have always walked a line of maturity, offering certain appeal to teen readers while dealing in horror imagery and sometimes graphic violence. Scarlet offers much the same content as previous volumes, though its slower story and more idea-driven writing will likely appeal more to the older edge of the target audience. Though the story largely stands alone, it’s most likely to be appreciated by those who are already familiar with Something is Killing the Children and the previous (though unconnected) story arc in House of Slaughter.
While Scarlet may not be the strongest entry in this universe, it definitely will not disappoint existing fans while also delivering a bold volume in its own right. It’s a comic that dares to try something a little different while maintaining the connective tissue of what has come before. With dramatic monster action alongside big ideas, House of Slaughter: Scarlet continues to be a horror series well worth adding to any collection for older readers.
House of Slaughter, vol. 2: Scarlet By Sam Johns Art by Letizia Cadonici BOOM! Studios, 2022 ISBN: 9781684158546
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
There are many conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. One of which is the possibility that Lee Harvey Oswald’s body has been switched before his burial. Investigations in the 1980s have concluded that it is indeed him but, if the theory was correct, how would it happen and why? Written by Chirstopher Cantwell, illustrated by Luca Casalanguida, and colored by Giada Marchisio, Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body delves into a fictionalized version of the theory and the ones involved in its creation.
In the year 1981, Lee Harvey Oswald’s body was exhumed and sent to Parkland hospital to be investigated. Flashback to 1963, four outcasts are chosen by a shadowy figure for a job. There is wannabe cowboy and bank robber Shep, guitar player and car thief Buck, civil rights activist Rose, and failed FBI candidate Wainwright. With the promise of a cash reward and a better life, the group takes the job. It’s simple: kidnap a lowlife who looks exactly like Lee Harvey Oswald. When the job is done, however, the truth behind their work slowly leaks through. With their lives on the line and their country in mourning, everyone considers abandoning their work but that is indeed easier said than done.
There is no shortage of fictionalized accounts of JFK conspiracy theories but what is different about Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body is the creators’ choice to focus on Oswald himself. Sure you hear about the assassination within the comic and witness Jack Ruby’s attack, but other than that, it is all about Oswald and how far up this assassination plan goes. Cantwell’s writing gives each character their own personality. They are not just a group of similar minded outcasts. The story itself is filled with little mysteries and plot twists that keep the readers guessing. The jumps between 1981 and 1963 keeps the readers interested in the story, allowing them to question whether or not it is Oswald in the grave and not another government coverup Casalanguida’s artwork from panel to panel allows action scenes to flow nicely, with each character moving from one end to the next. Detailed line work on each character and the setting provide readers a look into the early 1960s. Marchisio’s colors provide brighten views of open landscapes and dark scenes in secret hideouts. The creative trio work well together, bringing life to a story about deceit and government cover ups. Lastly, readers are treated to maps, texts, and newspaper clippings surrounding the event and essay samples that discuss ideas behind identity and body doubles.
Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body is a good choice for any public library’s graphic novel collection, especially those who cater towards patrons who read American history and government conspiracy. With great storytelling and detailed artwork, patrons will be intrigued with what this graphic novel has to offer.
Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body By Christopher Cantwell Art by Luca Casalanguida and Giada Marchisio BOOM! Studios, 2022 ISBN: 9781684158454
Liliana, a planeswalker who can travel between planes aka dimensions, is taking time to reexamine her life as she teaches necromancy in Strixhaven. Unfortunately, her time there is interrupted by Tezzeret (another planeswalker) waiting in her office, where he attempts to kill her. During their battle, Tezzeret mentions some interesting facts about a planeswalker Liliana has never heard of in connection with a deadly opponent, Marit Lage. Once Tezzeret is defeated and flees, Liliana explores the vast Strixhaven library to learn more about Isona Maive, who has a rare amplification power. However, there is more to the story than the library reveals and soon Liliana must make a difficult choice: to be a hero or the villain. 
In a world of monsters and monster hunters, not everyone faces the darkness with a weapon in hand.
Harvey Oswald’s body has been switched before his burial. Investigations in the 1980s have concluded that it is indeed him but, if the theory was correct, how would it happen and why? Written by Chirstopher Cantwell, illustrated by Luca Casalanguida, and colored by Giada Marchisio, Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body delves into a fictionalized version of the theory and the ones involved in its creation.
