Learn how two of DC comics’ most notorious villains got their start in this series from Stone Arch.
Catwoman: An Origin Story begins with Selina Kyle’s beginnings as a cat burglar. She hears the cries of a small kitten and goes to rescue it. This establishes her as a more of a Robin Hood character than a villain. She robs from the rich to help build shelters for animals. Batman makes an appearance in this story. We see him watching Catwoman through a skylight. Batman later catches up with her and hands her over to the police. The judge decides to give Catwoman a second chance to mend her ways, but she has other ideas. The graphic novel ends with a profile on Catwoman, breaking down the things that make her unique, her costume, accessories and skills.
The Joker: An Origin Story starts out with a figure in a tuxedo and a red hood attempting to unlock a safe. He is caught in the act by Batman and gives chase. The figure in the red hood falls into a vat of acid and emerges and the villain we have come to know as the Joker. We get the trademark green hair, white skin and maniacal grin. He later adopts a new look a green and black suit. In addition he develops new gadgets and weapons some that are quite deadly. He aims to poison the water supply, but he is caught by Batman before he can enact his evil plan. The Joker lands in Arkham Asylum, but always manages to escape to wreak havoc in Gotham.
I found the illustrations in Catwoman: An Origin Story to wonderfully depict the two sides of Catwoman/Selina Kyle. When she is in Catwoman mode the panels darken, painted in rich reds and blues highlighting the nighttime setting. This reflects Selina turning towards her nefarious side of being a cat burglar and needing to commit her crimes in the dark. When she is Selina Kyle and fighting to protect animals we see the goodness in her. In the opening, Selina discovers an abandoned kitty, lost and hungry. She scoops it up into her arms and takes it home to feed and nurture it back to good health. The artist conveys Selina Kyle as being stylish, independent and her own person. Red, green and purple highlight the antics of The Joker: An Origin Story. The color scheme helps emphasize The Joker as a clownish character with an underlying menace. I found this to be my least favorite of the two graphic novels in the DC Super Villains catalog. The Joker to me is not that compelling of a character. He’s just evil and goofy; there is no nuance about him.
Catwoman: An Origin Story and The Joker: An Origin Story would make good additions to the children’s comics section of your library. According the the publisher these graphic novels are suitable for 1-3rd graders and targets for children 6-8. I will add that the Joker’s story could use some parental guidance. Children of a young age might need help navigating a character who has no qualms about killing an entire city of people just because he likes destruction and mayhem.
DC Super-Villains Origins series by Louise Simonson Art by Luciano Vecchio Catwoman: An Origin Story ISBN: 9781496579362
The Joker: An Origin Story ISBN: 9781496579355 Capstone, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: Grades 1-3
Wonder Woman and Superman teach children the important values of perseverance and cooperation. These two books, written by Christopher Harbo and with art by Gregg Schigiel, are part of a series that discuss values for schoolchildren to learn and emulate. Superheroes are a good proxy, because they are often held up as role models, the kind of people we hope to be.
Wonder Woman Perseveres opens with the values we have come to associate with this superhero. She works hard, never quits, and does whatever it takes to keep people safe. The illustrations show this, rather than just tell the reader. She races her Amazonian sisters, and tries to do her best. The picture book features scenes of her battling archvillians like Cheetah and Gorilla Grood. She partners up with members of the justice league to show the importance of teamwork. The book concludes with a page emphasizing all the points made in the story about perseverance. There is also a glossary of terms, book suggestions for further reading, and websites that families can peruse together.
In Superman is Cooperative, we get examples of Superman working with others and helping out anyway he can. For instance, he assists firefighters by helping people safely escape from a fire. He holds a beam that the families walk across, while the firefighters put out the fire. My favorite illustration of this value is when Superman teams up with Green Lantern and Batgirl. The line reads, “When Superman works with others, he welcomes their strengths.” I feel like the title of this book could have been renamed Superman is a team player.
The art in Wonder Woman Perseveres emphasizes blues and earthy tones. Her story shifts from nature settings to urban areas. While she is shown on the front cover helping boy/girl scouts, children don’t feature much into the story. It seems like a missed opportunity since the point of the books are to demonstrate important values to children. Superman’s art also features a lot of blue; primarily, because our hero spends a lot of time flying to the aide of the public. In a slight contrast to the first title, most of Superman’s scenes take place in urban cityscapes and industrial areas.
Both Wonder Woman Perseveres and Superman is Cooperative are recommended as additions to school libraries and could be great storytime reads. In the era of endless superhero movies and TV shows, these two picture books will fit right in. My only quibble with these two stories were the examples used. They featured the heroes battling the villains instead of interacting more with the regular people. For example, Superman battles Lobo and throws him on top of a cop car, damaging it in the process. I don’t think many children are likely to be throwing villians on top of cars. I felt that they could have used more realistic scenarios. I would have really liked to have scenes with the heroes assisting children and highlighting the values emphasized. The primary audience for these books will be preschoolers or kindergartners.
DC Super Heroes Character Education series By Christopher Harbo Art by Gregg Schigiel Wonder Woman Perseveres ISBN: 9781515840213
Superman is Cooperative ISBN: 9781515840206 Capstone, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: K-2
There are moments in sports history that leave a lasting impact on society. Whether it be a win from the underdogs or the rise of an influential icon, people will look back and be in awe over how these moments came to be. Capstone publishing has taken noteworthy sports moments and created a new collection of graphic novels for children to enjoy. Entitled Greatest Sports Moments, the series introduces its readers to a variety of sporting events and memorable moments that will both entertain and educate.
The first two books in the series are written by Brandon Terrell and illustrated by Eduardo Garcia. In A Win for Women: Billie Jean King Takes Down Bobby Riggs, the duo recounts the famous tennis match known as the Battle of the Sexes. At a time when female athletes were not taken as seriously as their male counterparts, Billie Jean King proved to the world that women are as strong as men on the court. Her match with Bobby Riggs is retold from their first press conference to their long-lasting friendship afterwards. The second book in the series, Soccer Showdown: U.S. Women’s Stunning 1999 World Cup Win, is about the historic win for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team. The team worked hard in each and every game, becoming well prepared for their final match, a grueling competition due to the hot weather and the strength of the opposing team. Their dramatic win was a turning point that increased the popularity of soccer in the United States and influenced new players in the sport.
With a straight forward story and detailed artwork, these two books are a great choice for any library collection. Brandon Terrell provides enough background and biographical information for the reader to take in without drawing away from the main story. During each match, there are bursts of commentary from sportscasters, giving readers a chance to experience the real event. Eduardo Garcia’s illustrations clearly conveys the emotions of each athlete, especially when they are exhausted or thrilled. The action of each sporting event flows well from panel to panel, keeping the readers’ attention, and his color palette brightens the page. Each book ends with a short update on the athletes and the lasting impact of their game, a glossary of sporting terms, critical thinking questions, and titles to consider for further reading.
A Win for Women: Billie Jean King Takes Down Bobby Riggs and Soccer Showdown: U.S. Women’s Stunning 1999 World Cup Win will make good additions for both school and public libraries. Children in grades 3rd-6th, especially those who are interested in sports, will enjoy these books. The extra content will influence young readers to research each event and find new books along the way.
Greatest Sports Moments series By Brandon Terrell Art by Eduardo Garcia A Win for Women: Billie Jean King Takes Down Bobby Riggs ISBN: 9781543542196
Soccer Showdown: U.S. Women’s Stunning 1999 World Cup Win ISBN: 9781543542202 Capstone, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: Grade 3-4, Age 8-9
Each title in the Max Axiom Graphic Science 4D series introduces a scientific topic through full-color graphics, clear text explanations, and a diverse cast of contemporary characters that relate science to real life.
The main character, Max Axiom, is a super scientist. He begins each volume with a situation that brings a scientific principle to mind, such as sitting at a backyard bonfire which leads to a discussion of chemical reactions, or mentioning that he’s really hungry which begins a journey through the digestive system. Each book then continues with expository text accompanied by illustrations and diagrams which explain the scientific principle covered in that volume. Max often visits other scientists who further explain the topic. He also uses a number of futuristic gadgets which allow him to shrink to the size of a molecule or teleport from place to place.
Each book in the series contains special features which enhance the learning experience for readers. The Capstone 4D app can be downloaded free on many digital devices and allows readers to learn more about the topic of each book through interactive animations and videos. End matter in each book includes a hands-on project related to the book’s concept, discussion questions, writing prompts, a glossary, a bibliography, websites for further research, and an index.
The full-color illustrations used in the series are attention-getting for today’s readers. Max is a fashionably-dressed African-American man sporting slick technology, a lab coat, and a cool logo on his sleeve and belt. His character radiates cool and is clearly designed to appeal to kids and convey the message that science is cool. The panels are large with clear images, appropriate to show detail in the scientific diagrams used to illustrate concepts. The full-sentence text is informative and clear, and plenty of open space is left to avoid clutter or distraction on the page.
The texts in the Max Axiom: Super Scientist series do an excellent job of explaining a wide range of scientific concepts from biology, chemistry, and earth science. The illustrations clarify concepts effectively for young readers and the text explains topics in down-to-earth ways. Max is a fairly relatable character, and while some of the situations that he uses to set-up a particular topic can be a little cheesy, they get the point across. There is excellent representation of people from different racial groups as well as women working in science careers throughout the series. The animations and videos in the 4D app are brief but interesting. The books can stand on their own without them, but the additional content does enhance the learning experience.
This series would be well-received for independent reading by upper-elementary and middle school students who are interested in science, but it is probably best used in classroom settings as a fun way to introduce scientific concepts. The extension activities and discussion questions in the end matter make these books especially useful in the classroom.
Max Axiom, Super Scientist Series The Dynamic World of Chemical Reactions with Max Axiom, Super Scientist By Agnieszka Biskup Art by Cynthia Martin and Barbara Schulz ISBN: 9781543558722
A Journey Through the Digestive System with Max Axiom, Super Scientist By Emily Sohn Art by Cynthia Martin and Barbara Schulz ISBN: 9781543558760
Understanding Viruses with Max Axiom, Super Scientist By Agnieszka Biskup Art by Nick Derington ISBN: 9781543558777
The Earth-Shaking Facts About Earthquakes with Max Axiom, Super Scientist By Katherine Kohn Art by Tod Smith and Al Milgrom ISBN: 9781543558715 Capstone, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: 8-14
Even when they’re not fighting supervillains, the Teen Titans have some wild adventures! These three volumes of Teen Titans Go! see the young superheroes hosting a sleepover, prank-calling an alien warlord, accidentally bringing their video games to life, and getting overly competitive at the mini-golf course.
These fast-paced stories have funny, and usually low, stakes. Who has been stealing Cyborg’s sandwiches from the fridge? What is in the mysterious package delivered to Raven? Will the girls-only sleepover at Titans Tower result in Starfire getting engaged to marry a demon? Each of these questions is posed and answered in just nine pages—usually without the Titans ever leaving the Tower.
Though the stories are short, the personalities of the Titans come through. They may be silly and exaggerated, but the main characters do feel distinct from each other. Starfire is the cheerful alien who still doesn’t quite get Earth customs and speech patterns. Beast Boy and Cyborg are buddies and pranking co-conspirators. Raven is reserved and theoretically scary but actually obsessed with their universe’s version of My Little Pony. And Robin tries to be the serious leader type except for all the times when he forgets about that and gets caught up in the silliness. Their interactions create plenty of funny situations. We also get brief guest appearances from other DC universe characters like Bumblebee, Jinx, Trigon, Batman, and Riddler. Readers who don’t know these characters probably won’t be too confused, but those who do recognize them will enjoy the surprise cameos.
These three volumes can be read in any order. Each sturdy, colorful hardback contains two stories plus a glossary and a couple of pages of ‘Visual Questions and Writing Prompts.’ The visual questions are mostly aimed at helping young readers understand the techniques used in comics, asking about things like what the facial expressions or symbols in a panel might mean. The writing prompts are generally in the vein of, ‘What do you think happens next?’
The art is zany, angular, and colorful, and will be familiar to anyone who has watched the Teen Titans Go! TV show. The characters have comically over-the-top facial expressions and body language. The action is easy to follow, despite often being weird and wacky in the extreme. (Demon pizza monsters, anyone?) The arrangement of panels varies from page to page, adding visual interest to the story. In some Teen Titans Go! comics I have previously reviewed (Teen Titans Go! vols. 1-5), different artists bring their own styles to each volume. These three volumes are pretty consistent in their art style, perhaps because artist Jorge Corona worked on all of them. (Other artists joined him for two of the volumes.)
These wacky, fast-paced adventures pack enough action and humor to feel like watching a cartoon. They’re simple enough for young readers and short enough for those without long attention spans. There’s a small amount of silly, cartoonish violence, but nothing scary. Fans of the Teen Titans Go! TV show will likely get a kick out of these volumes, and fans of the DC Comics universe in general might enjoy seeing it in a silly light. Hey, where else can you find out what happens when you prank-call Batman?
Teen Titans Go! Food Fright and Par for the Course By Sholly Fisch, Merrill Hagan Art by Jorge Corona, Ben Bates ISBN: 9781496579935 But Games can Never Hurt Me and Sleep Over By Sholly Fisch, Merrill Hagan Art by Jorge Corona ISBN: 9781496579980 Prank’d! and Don’t Look By Sholly Fisch, Amy Wolfram Art by Jorge Corona. Lea Hernandez ISBN: 9781496579973 Stone Arch Press, 2019 Publisher Age Ranking: Reading Level: Grades 2-4; Interest Level: Grades 2-6
Graphic Library is Capstone Publishing’s imprint for various nonfiction series produced in graphic format. They include science, sports, history, and other popular subjects. Their general audience is ages 8-12, although some are more challenging reads and others may appeal to younger readers.
Vikings presents a very stereotypical, dramatized vision of Viking warriors. Dramatic pictures show a few sketches of Viking life, although only men are pictured, and one of the first bloody raids on English lands on the island of Lindisfarne. Further incursions into Europe, the settling of Greenland, and exploration of Newfoundland, including the attacks on Iniut peoples, are shown. The book ends with the last major Viking attack, Harald’s failed invasion in 1066. The last page, against a background of sword-wielding warriors, notes the contributions of exploration, language, and culture to modern Western society.
Samurai is divided into four chapters, each focusing on a famous warrior. The first is built around Miyamoto Musashi and the training of a samurai. Other chapters include the triumph of the samurai in defending their land against the Mongols and Kublai Khan, the transformation of the samurai from lone warrior the war general in the story of Kusunoki Masashige, and the unification of Japan and end of the samurai as the feudal society became defunct.
The art of Vikings is somewhat detailed, with constant action and movement in the backgrounds: fleeing monks; battle scenes; Vikings swinging swords and yelling their dialogue. The color schemes are red-tinged brown, showing the bloody nature of the history presented, and then shift to blues and greens in the exploration of new lands. The style of Samurai is much darker, with few, if any, faces clear enough to identify. The art is earth tones, with heavily shadowed figures, most of them obscured by armor, or only arms and legs shown.
Both titles are brief and depend heavily on stereotypes, both in general and in the stilted dialogue. No women are shown in either title and the Vikings are one-dimensional, interested only in killing and looting while the samurai are focused on honor and loyalty, and later political power. They are mostly faceless, making this volume an historical story without modern relevance or interest. Both titles are choppy, without transitions between the different periods and narrative arcs.
These two volumes are part of a four volume series of historical warriors. Each is 32-pages long, includes some brief additional facts, a glossary, questions, a few additional titles for further reading, a short index, and a link to Capstone’s online resources. While these volumes could act as supplementary resources (and kids who prefer only graphic sources are sure to pick them up), the stereotyped depiction of an entire historical period, lack of representation, and uninspired art make them an additional purchase at best.
Graphic History: Warriors Vikings By Nel Yomtov Art by Silvio DB ISBN: 9781543555066 Samurai By Blake Hoena Art by Janos Orban ISBN: 9781543555042 Capstone Graphic Library, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: middle grade Series Reading Order
Bullying. Puberty. Peer pressure. Surviving middle school is not easy, but the latest from writer Louise Simonson and illustrator Sumin Cho sheds some light on how to get through all the drama.
Told in short-story format, Junior High Drama: A Graphic Novel, features the trials and tribulations of four Memorial Middle School students. From mean girls, gossip, and peer pressure to chronic illness, self-esteem, and romantic relationships, tween readers will find plenty they can relate to.
While the content may be familiar territory, what makes the book stand out is its innovative approach to storytelling. At the end of each vignette, the co-creators include an informational section cleverly presented as a mock magazine cover and interview insert. Both offer facts about the issues highlighted within the previous story, as well as inspirational quotes and advice for tweens and parents. A list of resources, such as the Suicide Prevention Hotline, also makes it a great addition to any library’s juvenile section.
Additional stand out features include the back matter, which revisits all the characters through a special school newspaper edition featuring the different clubs and activities that populate the book. It’s also a subtle but effective way to encourage tweens to get involved with healthy social outlets that reflect their interests. Whether it’s anime, theater, sports, gardening, or books, the key to surviving the drama is self-acceptance and a support team who accepts you for you.
The warm and engaging illustrations, done in soft pastels, complement the text while also providing more detail. Through the images, we learn about the characters’ inner emotions, desires, and insecurities. In one telling scene, Cho deftly conveys the motivation behind Kamilla’s reluctance to participate in the school musical by portraying her as a tutu-clad elephant on display for all to ridicule. Specific techniques, such as the fishbowl effect, also parallel the storyline by warping the frame much as body dysmorphia warps self-perception.
The illustrations also create expressive characters that pull readers in through the subtle angling of an eyebrow, curve to the lip, or wink of an eye. Cho goes beyond what the text provides to create a diverse student body comprised of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. She also represents a variety of family structures, which range from two-parent to single-parent to multicultural. The result is an engaging cast of characters who appear throughout the book. Observant readers will enjoy spotting previous characters in the background of subsequent stories.
Interestingly, all the protagonists are female, which left me with mixed emotions. On one hand, I am a strong proponent of girl power, but on the other hand, the addition of a few male characters may have been a more inclusive approach to covering challenges that all tweens face.
The story’s somewhat didactic tone also may run the risk of turning some readers away. Each chapter hammers home a specific lesson or moral, and the simplistic way in which problems quickly resolve themselves by story’s end does not quite ring true. Life, unfortunately, is not always so cut and dry.
Overall, the graphic novel is a fun read that contains a lot of meaty content most suitable for ages 8 to 11. Simonson explores age-old issues tweens can relate to, while the inclusion of social media, texting, and mobile phones keeps the story current. I also commend her for the positive role parental figures play in the characters’ lives. As sources of love, support, and stability, they may border on the overbearing at times, but the main takeaway here is to keep communication channels open.
Junior High Drama: A Graphic Novel By Louise Simonson Art by Sumin Cho ISBN: 9781496547125 Stone Arch Books/Capstone, 2019 Publisher Age Rating: 8-11
The Jake Maddox Graphic Novels feature young people competing in a variety of team and individual sports. In each story, the central character is involved in a major event in his or her sport while facing a personal challenge, moral dilemma, or conflict with friends. The two titles reviewed here address winter sports and would be good additions to youth libraries looking to enhance their offerings with a greater variety of graphic novels and sports-related literature.
In Faceoff Fall Out, Jackson “Jax” Kingsford is nervous about facing his former best friend in a hockey tournament. Ever since Archer Foss left Jax’s team and moved across town to play for a rival team, things have not been the same. Will Jax learn to move past his feelings of betrayal? What will happen when his team plays Archer’s team? Readers follow Jax on this journey and learn some things about hockey, friendship, and resilience along the way. While the text for this volume is quite heavy on narration, the storyline is uplifting and affirming for young readers. The lesson to not take a decision made by another person as a personal betrayal is one that every child needs to learn at some point, and this story conveys that message well. Lessons about teamwork and good sportsmanship are abundant. The end matter helps readers learn about literary conventions such as flashbacks and helps build visual literacy through encouraging the reader to consider the meaning of artistic devices used in the story, as well.
In Half-Pipe Panic, Payton Park is having trouble regaining his confidence after an embarrassing fall on the half-pipe. Even worse is the fact that his sister’s friend posted the video of Park’s fall online, and now everyone is laughing about it. With a big competition coming up, Park isn’t sure he even has the courage to snowboard again, much less the guts to win. This volume in the series explores themes of confidence and mental toughness, as well as the pitfalls of social media and cyber bullying. Park must learn that how he views himself is more important than the opinions of others and that his true friends will support him no matter what. Questions in the end matter help readers learn to identify character traits and emotions from the illustrations in the book.
Each volume in the series presents readers with information about the basics of a particular sport as well as ideas about friendship, character, and overcoming obstacles. The books are relatively brief in length at 65 pages each, plus end matter which includes visual questions to aid comprehension and develop visual literacy skills, facts about the rules and history of the sport addressed in the book, and a glossary of terms related to the sport. Each book features ethnically diverse characters, which are previewed visually at beginning of each title, and the vivid, full-color artwork is accessible to young readers with a simple panel structure.
Reluctant or developing readers interested in sports will be drawn to these stories. Each volume is kept brief through summarizing much of the expository material that might be shown in more detail in a longer novel. Much of the backstory in Half-Pipe Panic is related in the format of a video blog narrated by Park, which works well as a method of exposition since it is likely to hold readers’ attention. The straightforward narration used to provide exposition in Faceoff Fall Out could have been improved. Still, as an introduction to graphic novels, these books work well. They are accessible and provide instruction to help readers grow in their understanding of the medium. Further, the characters are authentic and relatable to young readers, and the conflicts they face are true-to-life while providing good examples of how to respond to challenges with character and class. This series makes a good addition to youth and elementary graphic novel collections.
Jake Maddox Graphic Novels by Jake Maddox, Brandon Terrell Art by Eduardo Garcia, Benny Terrell, Jaymes Reed Faceoff Fall-Out ISBN: 9781496560438 Half-Pipe Panic ISBN: 9781496560445 Capstone, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: 8-14
Capstone Publishing starts their new Graphic Lives series with graphic biographies of Anne Frank, Leonardo Da Vinci, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Francis. Graphic novel biographies not only tell the story of a famous individual, but also provide a visual glimpse into the world they live or lived in. The writing and illustrations for each book have to work together to provide the right balance of information and visual imagery for the reader to understand and enjoy.
This collection of graphic novels contains biographies of four famous people from different backgrounds and historical eras. Retold from her own diary, Anne Frank is the sad story of a teenage Jewish girl in hiding with her family during World War II. Narrated by the artist himself, Leonardo Da Vinci takes readers into the life of the renaissance man, from his religious artwork to his detailed illustrations. In Nelson Mandela, the famous African politician works long and hard to bring peace to South Africa. Lastly there is Pope Francis, the story of a humble priest who greets everyone, Christian or not, with open arms and continues to spread the message of love and hope to the world.
Each of these biographies are illustrated and written with the target audience in mind. The writers have chosen key scenes from each of the subject’s lives and explains the importance of each. When a statement or word is spoken in a language other than English, there is a brief explanation on the bottom of the page. Depending upon the historical era, the illustrations contain a detailed look into the individual’s life and where they lived; whether it be the devastation of World War II Europe, the streets of Buenos Aires, or the studios of great artists. Each illustrator uses a bright color scheme and provides specific details for the face of each character, clearly showing emotions and actions taking place on the page.
At the end of each book, there is additional information about each person and the impact their life or situation has had on history and popular culture. There is also a glossary of terms with definitions, discussion questions, writing prompts, and a brief biography of the book’s illustrator and author. With the exception of Anne Frank, there is also a brief timeline that shows the growth of each individual, visually, and a brief recap on a significant event in their life.
Due to their length, these graphic novels are best for readers in middle school (between 5th-8th grade). With additional activities and background information, school librarians may consider purchasing this series and encourage teachers to use them for their lessons. Public librarians in both children’s and young adult departments should consider purchasing them as well, especially if they have readers who enjoy history and biographies.
Anne Frank By Diego Agrimbau Art by Fabian Mezquita ISBN: 9781515791614 Leonardo da Vinci By Diego Agrimbau Art by Diego Aballay ISBN: 9781515791638 Nelson Mandela By Emanuel Castro Art by Ignacio Segesso ISBN: 9781515791645 Pope Francis By Emanuel Castro Art by Ignacio Segesso ISBN: 9781515791621 Capstone, 2018 Publisher Age Rating: Grade 3-4
Are you looking for some graphic novels on mythology? Each book in Capstone Publishing’s Universal Myth series is a collection of myths centered around a common theme. Dawn of Time covers creation myths, End of Days doomsday myths, Cleansing the World flood myths, and Warring Gods conflict between gods. While each collection includes at least one myth from one of the major pantheons– Norse, Greek, and Egyptian–they also include myths from less well-known ones, such as a variety from African nations, Native American tribes, Chinese, and Sumerian. Each volume includes critical thinking questions, a list of books for further reading, and a glossary. The fact that the series includes pantheons beyond the main ones as well as supplementary materials indicate quite a bit of promise, but the series, as a whole, does not quite fulfill its potential.
Mythology can be fascinating, with insightful stories, but these books frequently shortchange the storytelling. When the collection is on point, the result is a short, engaging telling that flows relatively well. However, at times, the brevity prevents the stories and cast from being fully developed, and as a result, some of the stories can be confusing to read or even inaccurate.
One example is the story of how Loki is chained. In the original myth, Loki is restrained by chains made from his son Nari’s entrails, but End of Days portrays Loki chained in ordinary chains. Whether this was done to conserve space or out of ignorance, it further reduces the quality. Another example comes from Warring Gods: there is a myth from Babylon where the gods are fighting after the death of the leader, but not everyone is identified and it’s unclear what they are fighting for. Each story has an introductory section that occasionally provides useful context, but that is not consistent from story to story.
Cheesy dialogue throughout the books also disrupts the story’s flow. For example, in Cleansing the World, a character has to face the consequences of stealing from one of the gods. Instead of a serious death scene, the character screams “Ahh” as his executioner raises his sword behind him. The dialogue adds an air of humor that does not seem appropriate to the stories being told.
The series does not have the same artist for each volume, and the art’s quality fluctuates over the course of the series. Dawn of Time is the weakest: the characters’ poses are stiff, the colors are dull, and the vague backgrounds do little to contribute to a sense of place. The other books have stronger art, but there are still points where the characters’ poses are stiff and awkward or the perspective does not fit with the narrative. The font used throughout the series can be hard to read; it looks carved, and the shape and relatively small size can make it hard to read the words.
The concept behind Universal Myths is a good one, but the inconsistency makes it difficult to recommend. If educators want to use one of the collections, supplementary materials would be necessary to provide additional context. Capstone Publishing recommends it for grade levels 3-9; the series does not get overly gory or sexual, so younger readers would be fine with the series. The fact that these myths are portrayed in such a basic way suggests that students older than fifth grade on are less likely to find this interesting. Libraries developing recreational collections might want to seek out other comic portrayals of myths.
Universal Myths Series Cleansing the World: Flood Myths Around the World by Blake Hoena Art by Silvio Ob ISBN: 9781515766278 Dawn of Time: Creation Myths Around the World by Nel Yomtov Art by Dante Lividini ISBN: 781515766292 End of Days: Doomsday Myths Around the World by Blake Hoena Art by Felipe Kroll ISBN: 9781515766261 Warring Gods: Immortal Battle Myths Around the World by Nel Yomtov Art by Ray Dillon ISBN: 9781515766285
Learn how two of DC comics’ most notorious villains got their start in this series from Stone Arch.
Wonder Woman and Superman teach children the important values of perseverance and cooperation. These two books, written by Christopher Harbo and with art by Gregg Schigiel, are part of a series that discuss values for schoolchildren to learn and emulate. Superheroes are a good proxy, because they are often held up as role models, the kind of people we hope to be.
There are moments in sports history that leave a lasting impact on society. Whether it be a win from the underdogs or the rise of an influential icon, people will look back and be in awe over how these moments came to be. Capstone publishing has taken noteworthy sports moments and created a new collection of graphic novels for children to enjoy. Entitled Greatest Sports Moments, the series introduces its readers to a variety of sporting events and memorable moments that will both entertain and educate.
Each title in the Max Axiom Graphic Science 4D series introduces a scientific topic through full-color graphics, clear text explanations, and a diverse cast of contemporary characters that relate science to real life.
Even when they’re not fighting supervillains, the Teen Titans have some wild adventures! These three volumes of Teen Titans Go! see the young superheroes hosting a sleepover, prank-calling an alien warlord, accidentally bringing their video games to life, and getting overly competitive at the mini-golf course.
Graphic Library is Capstone Publishing’s imprint for various nonfiction series produced in graphic format. They include science, sports, history, and other popular subjects. Their general audience is ages 8-12, although some are more challenging reads and others may appeal to younger readers.
Bullying. Puberty. Peer pressure. Surviving middle school is not easy, but the latest from writer Louise Simonson and illustrator Sumin Cho sheds some light on how to get through all the drama.
The Jake Maddox Graphic Novels feature young people competing in a variety of team and individual sports. In each story, the central character is involved in a major event in his or her sport while facing a personal challenge, moral dilemma, or conflict with friends. The two titles reviewed here address winter sports and would be good additions to youth libraries looking to enhance their offerings with a greater variety of graphic novels and sports-related literature.
Capstone Publishing starts their new Graphic Lives series with graphic biographies of Anne Frank, Leonardo Da Vinci, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Francis. Graphic novel biographies not only tell the story of a famous individual, but also provide a visual glimpse into the world they live or lived in. The writing and illustrations for each book have to work together to provide the right balance of information and visual imagery for the reader to understand and enjoy.
Are you looking for some graphic novels on mythology? Each book in Capstone Publishing’s Universal Myth series is a collection of myths centered around a common theme. Dawn of Time covers creation myths, End of Days doomsday myths, Cleansing the World flood myths, and Warring Gods conflict between gods. While each collection includes at least one myth from one of the major pantheons– Norse, Greek, and Egyptian–they also include myths from less well-known ones, such as a variety from African nations, Native American tribes, Chinese, and Sumerian. Each volume includes critical thinking questions, a list of books for further reading, and a glossary. The fact that the series includes pantheons beyond the main ones as well as supplementary materials indicate quite a bit of promise, but the series, as a whole, does not quite fulfill its potential.
