Wrap-Up of the 2024 Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge

The Graphic Novel/ Manga Challenge is another favorite challenge of mine. When I signed up I could not pick a level of participation, wavering between reading 24 or 52 books.  In the end I read 28 novels. Many of them could be my favorite for the year, maybe even 10. The depth of writing was sky-high.  

The challenge host opened a Facebook group several years ago so that participants can post links to reviews. There isn't an annual sign up for the challenge anymore. We just continue to post our reviews every year in the group site. Please let me know if you are interested in joining the challenge and I will connect you with the group. 

The following are links to my reviews for 2024.

Open Borders by Matt Caplan

Seoul Before Sunrise by Samir Dahmani

Enlighten Me by Minh Le

We Are Not Strangers by Josh Tuining

Cool Japan Guide by Abby Denson 

A History of Modern Manga by Insight Editions 

Where the Body Was by Ed Brubaker

We Hereby Refuse by Frank Abe

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang

Animal Pound by Tom King

Displacement by Kiki Hughes

The Way of the House Husband by Koysuki Oona

A History of Japan in Manga by Shunichiro Kanaya

Uniquely Japan by Abby Denson

Cool Tokyo Guide by Abby Denson

Ruined by Sarah Vaughn

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang

Tender by Beth Hetland

Okinawa by Susuma

Saving Sunshine by Saadia Faruq

Art Club by Rashad Doucet

The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha

Green Lantern Alliance by Minh Le

She's Running on Fumes by Dennis Hopeless

The Black Ghost by Alex Segura

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

Neptune by Michael Conrad 

Redbone by Christian Staebley

Favorite Book:  Animal Pound 

Second Favorite Book:  Tender

Least Favorite Book:  Okinawa 

Redbone

Redbone is a full length graphic novel that was created with cooperation from the Vegas family, authors Christian Staebler and Sonia Paoloni. Pat and Lolly Vazquez started the Redbone rock n' roll group after playing their music for years on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and on the radio. In their beginning, politics made them change their surname to Vegas. It was the only way to get gigs. The book is part biography and part research journalism and tells a the story not only of the group but also about the history of Native Americans.

The publisher's summary:

Experience the riveting, powerful story of the Native American civil rights movement and the resulting struggle for identity told through the high-flying career of West Coast rock 'n' roll pioneers Redbone.

You've heard the hit song "Come and Get Your Love" in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy, but the story of the band behind it is one of cultural, political, and social importance.

Brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas were talented Native American rock musicians that took the 1960s Sunset Strip by storm. They influenced The Doors and jammed with Jimmy Hendrix before he was "Jimi," and the idea of a band made up of all Native Americans soon followed. Determined to control their creative vision and maintain their cultural identity, they eventually signed a deal with Epic Records in 1969. But as the American Indian Movement gained momentum the band took a stand, choosing pride in their ancestry over continued commercial reward.

Redbone was officially formed in 1967. Their first album was a double album. They went on a national tour as well as playing concerts in Europe. When the song "We Were Wounded at Wounded Knee" was recorded it was banned in the U. S. While it was popular in Europe the American powers that be thought it would encourage civil disobedience and there already was alot of unrest over the Vietnam War. At their last concert in 1974 they were told that if they sang the song, the concert promoter would pull the tour. Well, they sang it and the promoter, true to his word, ended the tour. This was also the end of the group's career. 

At least half of the book tells the history of Native Americans, especially the past 100 years. The authors delve into the U.S.'s attempts to assimilate them by sending Indian children to western schools. Many of these schools were boarding schools so the kids were separated from their families and culture. English only was required at the schools. If a student spoke their Native language they were severely punished. This assimilation attempt was news to me. I have never heard about it before and, yes, I was shocked.

The book ends with an interview of Pat Vegas by the authors. A bibliography and discography follow. 

The Infinity Particle

In this gorgeous graphic novel by Wendy Xu, a young inventor falls for a lifelike AI robot and confronts questions of freedom and autonomy.

The publisher's summary:

Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin’s assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots—she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there’s something about Kye that feels almost too human.

When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and won’t allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn’t he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human? As her past and Kye’s future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free—even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for.

The plot premise is timely. We are just beginning to discuss the challenges AI poses as well as how it can be used to improve life on Earth. In this story, the author had secondary characters that were Asian, Muslim, disabled, African and white. She covered most of the protected classes! There was only one male character and he is the AI created robot that Clem fell in love with. All the inventors were women.

Clem had disagreements with Kye's creator Marcella concerning whether robots are their own people who should be treated with respect and allowed to have their own thoughts and interests. Marcella I was not happy about the romance between Clem and Kye. I  loved that one strip showed a character walking down a staircase and another person in a wheelchair using an adjacent ramp. None of the characters suffered any discrimination on Mars but they did talk about the challenges of life on Earth.

The art in this book is breathtaking and really pops in its minimal blue color palette. The pace was nice and fast but I expected that the plot would be more sci-fi with discussion on creating AI creatures. However, it was predominantly a romance story. That part was a disappointment to me. 

The novel was entertaining and a relaxing read. I am rating it 3 out of 5 stars.

Neptune

Neptune is a graphic novel with a theme of revenge and redemption. It was published in September 2024. The main character is Corey Harrison who has just been released from prison after serving 17 years for a violent crime. Now, Corey is seeking the truth surrounding the recent and mysterious death of his brother, only to discover a vast darkness surrounding his legacy. Corey's friends tell him there are job openings at Neptune and that he should apply. He is hired to work as a supervisor in a chicken factory, the same position that his brother held. On his first day Corey sees alot of young people working under him who work long hours and don't get paid much. They are human trafficking victims. His boss tells him that using traffickees was his brother’s idea. It made the business a success. 

There was a tremendous amount of foul language so I wouldn't recommend the book for children. The characters came from a rough part of town and their dialogue reflected this. It was depressing to read how people live like this. I know that there are lots of folks who have no choice but to live this lifestyle and I am not criticizing them. I just didn't like reading about it. That said, the author presented a realistic portrait about ex-offenders and their difficulty with obtaining employment and adjusting to life outside prison.

3 out of 5 stars.

Green Lantern Alliance

Last year I read Minh Le's Green Lantern Legend and loved it. As I was looking for a new comic to read this month, I found his Green Lantern Alliance. I knew I had to read it. This story did not disappoint. It was an exciting read and the illustrations were colorful and happy. It made me feel like a kid again. The book was published in October 2022 and is written for the 9 - 12 year old age range.

The publisher's summary:

Tai Pham struggles with balancing school, his work in the family business, his friendships, and his new Green Lantern responsibilities. But Kid Flash arrives on the scene to become the super-hero partner Tai just might need. It’s only been a few months since Green Lantern Tai Pham inherited his ring from his ba and defeated his nemesis, Xander Griffin. But Tai knows their last battle was only the beginning-and even though no one believes him, Tai is determined to prove that Xander is up to his old tricks again. When a string of fires start popping up around Coast City, Tai finds himself stretched thin as he struggles to keep up with school, training, working at the store, and following Xander’s trail. That is, until a new hero, known as Kid Flash, shows up on the scene with an offer to help. Can the heroes find the arsonist before it’s too late?

This volume doesn't focus as much on Tai's Vietnamese heritage as in Green Lantern Legacy. It focuses more on his relationships to his mentor, friends and new ally Kid Flash. I loved reading about Tai's Vietnamese heritage in Legacy and was hoping it would be a big feature of this comic. This disappointed me and I liked Legacy more than Alliance.

Alliance continues the story from before but with more superhero scenes. Concerning characters, the protagonist is Tai Pham. However, he is the least interesting character in the book. We don't read much of anything about his life, personality or ethnic roots. Every time his grandmother Kim Tran is shown with the green ring, I wished that the book included her more.

The art is drawn in bright greens and yellows. I love these colors and they impact my enjoyment of the book big time. I am expecting a 3rd entry in the Green Lantern series. The last page says that the next adventure will be to planet earth. 

3 out of 5 stars.

She's Running on Fumes

She's Running on Fumes is a 2024 Comixology Original comic book. The book I read contained all 6 releases of the comic. The story takes place in Deepwater, Missouri in 1984. Note that this is a book for adults only as there is a ton of foul language, violence and dialogue about sex.

The publisher's summary is short:

When I was 3-years-old, my mother started a chop shop with a junkyarder named Corn Dog. My criminal father’s brain was damaged in a wreck that almost killed him. With hospital bills piling, us kids to feed and fifty-thousand dollars of biker cocaine gone missing, grand theft auto was Mom’s best shot at survival.

While the comic has an extensive plot that is well-written, I did not like how the characters spoke to each other. They were rude and crude with each other which created a stressful atmosphere. While I am aware that there is a segment of society that behaves this way, I wouldn't want to socialize with this group. That said, the author wrote a realistic portrait of this particular fringe group of hoodlums. The narrator was the son of Jody and Jeanne. Jody is the character whose brain was damaged in a car wreck. I feel that Jeanne should have left Jody long before she ended up with two rowdy kids. She is stuck accepting lousy, small paying jobs for the foreseeable future. I would have never put myself in this situation. 

The story was inspired by the author’s family history. Dennis Hopeless stated in an online interview with IGN:

“When I was 3-years-old my mother started a chop shop with a half-wit junkyarder named Corn Dog,” said Hopeless in a statement. “Dad was the criminal. Mom had never broken a law in her life, but with him brain-damaged, fifty-thousand dollars of cocaine gone missing and hospital bills piling up, grand theft auto was our only hope.”

Hopeless continued, “She’s Running on Fumes is based on the true story of how my mom lied, cheated and stole her way through dad’s tire fire and the freedom she found out the other side. The story is based on family stories and my father’s near-fatal accident from when I was a toddler. As I grew older, details were added that made it clear my father was a criminal and many of the events of my childhood were driven by his criminal dealings. The seeds of the idea came from asking my mother about these old stories as an adult and getting the real dirt.”

The illustrations were drawn by Tyler Jenkins with watercolor art painted by Hilary Jenkins. The letters were written by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.  The drawings looked sketchy to me but I believe that they matched the type of story that was told. 

4 out of 5 stars.

The Fox Maidens

Robin Ha, author of Almost American Girl, is one of my favorite graphic novelists. Her 2024 graphic novel, The Fox Maidens, is based on a famous character from Korean mythology, Gumiho. The story takes place 400 years ago in Korea during the reign of the Joseon Dynasty and it was a fun read.

The publisher's summary:

Kai Song dreams of being a warrior. She wants to follow in the footsteps of her beloved father, the commander of the Royal Legion. But while her father believes in Kai and trains her in martial arts, their society isn’t ready for a girl warrior.

Still, Kai is determined. But she is plagued by rumors that she is the granddaughter of Gumiho, the infamous nine-tailed fox demon who was killed by her father years before.

Everything comes crashing down the day Kai learns the deadly secret about her mother’s past. Now she must come to terms with the truth about her identity and take her destiny into her own hands. As Kai desperately searches for a way to escape her fate, she comes to find compassion, and even love, in the most unexpected places.

Set in sixteenth-century Korea and richly infused with Korean folklore, The Fox Maidens is a timeless and powerful story about fighting for your place in the world, even when it seems impossible.

First of all, I cannot be more excited about a comic's illustration than with The Fox Maidens. The color palette is gorgeous. Most of the comic book strips are drawn and colored with cool tones of every color but with a splash of bright colors such as red. It's very appealing.

Concerning the writing, it is fast paced with compelling characters and an action packed plot. Kai is the main character. She is presented as a feminist by her desire to fight alongside the men in her village. She is fearful of marrying and having children and hopes that her parents won't force her into marriage. At the end of the story we see her love for another female character. Kai's mother, Meorhu, is a physically fragile woman with a surprising past as a fox maiden. She hopes that her daughter will be able to escape the same fate. Then there is Gumiho. Gumiho is the deadly fox spirit who destroys the lives of all the others with her magic. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story but must say that the first half was more exciting. During this part of the story we read about Kai as a human being. Her life in the village depicted the type of life a girl in Joseon Korea would live. In the second half she becomes a fox and here we really see the fantasy aspect of the story. The author’s note at the end explains her inspiration for writing this graphic novel. I found it as fascinating as the story itself.

4 out of 5 stars.

Art Club

Art Club Dare to Create was published on February 6, 2024. The story was inspired by the author’s own childhood and paints a picture of an aspiring young artist on a mission to prove that the arts are worth fighting for. The book was written with 8 - 12 year olds in mind and it is a graphic novel.

The publisher's summary:

Dale Donavan has heard the same lecture over and over again: Art will get you nowhere in life. A kid with a creative streak, Dale wants nothing more than to doodle, play video games, and create comics forever—maybe even as a full-time job one day. But between his grandfather pushing him to focus on his studies and a school with zero interest in funding arts programs, Dale feels like his future has already been decided for him. 

That is, until he comes up with the perfect plan: What if he starts an after-school art club, gathers a team of creative students like himself, and proves all the naysayers—his stubborn vice principal in particular—wrong? This might just work, but if the club isn’t financially successful by the end of the semester, the school with shut them down. This may be Dale’s only chance to show the adults in his life that a career as an artist is not just a dream but a possibility! 

The club doesn't get going until the halfway point in the story. The first half sets up the reason it was created as well as all of the obstacles that were put in the kids' way. The main obstacle is Mr. Ruffins, the school vice principal. He tasked the students with researching and writing a paper on a well paying career they are interested in. He hopes students will pursue math or science. Dale only likes reading comics so he takes a risk in writing his paper on the cartoonist field. This backfires on Dale but he convinces another teacher to sponsor an art club to show Ruffins that it can be profitable. If the club fails, Dale will flunk his class. 

The book teaches that there are many choices a student has to make before pursuing an art career. Dale is interested in becoming a comic book creator who does his own illustrations. Other students in the club like creating video games, drawing and fundraising. Their sponsor, Miss Jen'ae, begins with teaching the club members about different types of art and even takes them on field trips to art shows and comic conventions. Dale ultimately hopes that his school will resume teaching art classes.

Of course, there is a happy ending. Art Club is a fun read and is an ideal reading choice for a youngster interested in art. 5 out of 5 stars.

Saving Sunshine

Saving Sunshine is a graphic novel about Muslim American siblings who must learn how to stop fighting and support each other in a world that is often unkind to them. They are always being teased for having a funny sounding name or wearing a hijab. It was published in 2023 and won several awards including a Kirkus Best Book of the year and the New York Public Library Best Book for Kids for the year.

Zara and Zeeshan Aziz are twins who really can't stand each other. During a family trip to Florida where their mother received an award for best pediatrician of the year, their bickering, shoving, and insults reached new heights of chaos. As punishment, their parents sentenced them to the worst possible fate: confiscation of their cell phones and each other’s company! They are instructed to always stay together while their parents attend a medical conference. They are depressed beyond belief. Zeeshan loves to watch NASA videos on his phone while Zara takes photos of animals for her animal rescue group. However, when the twins find an ailing turtle whom Zara named Sunshine, it presents a rare opportunity for teamwork if, of course, the two can put their differences aside.

The book was written for kids aged 8 - 12. It's a sweet story with gorgeous watercolor drawings in muted tones. The Aziz family has to deal with alot of Islamophobia. The parents were born in Pakistan but emigrated to the U. S. as adults. The twins were born in New York but their classmates didn't accept them as true Americans. Mrs. Aziz wears a hijab and always encounters alot of stares and rude comments.

There were many facts about animals and outer space interspersed throughout the story which I enjoyed. It's always nice to learn something from a book. The book is a fast read and I recommend it for adults as well as kids of any age.

5 out of 5 stars.

Enlighten Me

Enlighten Me is a graphic novel by Minh Le. It features a young boy named Binh who gets in trouble at school after he hits another boy who has been bullying him over his Vietnamese heritage. He is afraid of being suspended but only receives a verbal warning from the vice principal at his school.  During the summer break, Binh's parents take him and his two sisters on a silent meditation retreat. Binh has to turn in his electronics and refrain from talking for an entire weekend. Of course, he is bored. However, when a Buddhist nun gathers all the kids to tell them the Jataka tales - the stories of the Buddha’s many past lives - Bình takes a fantastical dive into his imagination and starts to see himself in these stories. The questions remains, will he retreat further into himself or will he emerge from the weekend open to change?

This is a funny story written for kids 9 - 12. I learned a few new facts about the life of the Buddha that I have not read elsewhere in adult books. The Jakarta tales were new to me and I want to learn about all of them. While Bình is the protagonist of the story, the book is really an introduction into the life of Buddha. I was impressed that Bình found peace at the retreat but I guess that is the whole point of the book. The fact that he obtained this in the short span of a weekend seems like a fairy tale but, then again, it's a children's book.

5 out of 5 stars.

Ash's Cabin

Ash's Cabin is a coming of age graphic novel by Jen Wang. It was published on August 13, 2024 and has been written for young adults in grades 10 through 12. 

The publisher's summary:

Ash has always felt alone. Adults ignore the climate crisis. Other kids Ash’s age are more interested in pop stars and popularity contests than in fighting for change. Even Ash’s family seems to be sleepwalking through life. The only person who ever seemed to get Ash was Grandpa Edwin. Before he died, he used to talk about building a secret cabin deep in the California wilderness. Did he ever build it? What if it’s still there, waiting for him to come back…or for Ash to find it? To Ash, that cabin is starting to feel like the perfect place for a fresh start and an escape from the miserable feeling of alienation that haunts her daily life.  But making the wilds your home isn’t easy. And as much as Ash wants to be alone…can she really be happy alone?  

 

The publisher's website states that this graphic novel tackles the topic of gender identity. I was not aware of this until the ending and I looked up the book. A classmate places her hand on Ash's hand and Ash's face lights up. I feel a little stupid for not picking up on the new masculine name but in my defense let me say the reader doesn't know what Ash's name originally was. In fact, in the first chapter I thought Ash was male. Her desire to learn survival skills didn't cause me to suspect anything either. It just sounded like a great adventure. Her withdrawal from her high school classmates didn't make me suspicious either. Half the kids in school are withdrawn. My only clue that she was gay was that hand.

I would not categorize the book as LGBTQ fiction. It's about Ash's six month long plan to camp in the wilderness and then her execution of the plan. She takes her beloved dog Chase with her and, as an animal lover, I enjoyed their exploits. She was only supposed to be gone two weeks but Ash lasted 42 days in the wilderness. After Chase became injured Ash should have taken him home. She didn't and that upset me some.

All things considered, Ash's Cabin was a fun read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Tender

Tender was published on March 12, 2024. It is a psychological thriller in comic format and is the author's debut graphic novel.

The publisher's summary:

Carolanne wanted a perfect wedding, a perfect husband, a perfect family. She carefully performs her own roles (gal pal, bestie, girlfriend, wife, and expectant mother) and manipulates those around her to try and get the results she wants. Her desire to control the uncontrollable ultimately becomes her undoing. When things don't go her way, she exerts dominance over the one thing she does have total control over: her body; until that "betrays" her. After suffering a horrible loss, Carolanne spirals into a literal, all-consuming delusion causing her body to produce symptoms of a hysterical pregnancy ― as a result of her slicing off bits of her own flesh and eating them.

Chicago cartoonist and educator Beth Hetland’s graphic novel debut is a brilliant psychological thriller that tears down the wall of a genre ― body horror ― so often identified with male creators. Heady and visceral, Tender uses horrific tropes to confront women’s societal expectations of self-sacrifice despite those traditional roles often coming at the expense of female sexuality and empowerment.

 

I won't lie. After finishing the book I had to read the summary above in order to figure out what I just read. The story alternates between time periods as you would see with any psychological thriller. However, I was not expecting it and was confused as to what happened in Carolanne's life. A re-read helped me understand.

The horror aspect of the book is from Carolanne's self mutilation. We only have illustrations to know she was doing this to herself. Some of the illustrations were so jarring that I couldn't look at them. It's only apparent that Carolanne was trying to have a perfect life from these drawings and that the pressure she put on herself had to come out somewhere. We read about her striving for the perfect relationship, perfect wedding and perfect motherhood. Unfortunately none of that actually happened.

The ending was unexpected. I am still thinking about it a week after reading the novel and have a sinking feeling in my stomach. The author deserves accolades for writing the usual date, wedding, baby story from the horror genre. It works.

Not recommended for kids. The drawings have nudity and self-mutilation. 5 out of 5 stars.

Ruined

Ruined was published in November 2023. It is a Regency-era romance graphic novel about the unexpected passion that bloomed from a marriage of convenience. This reminds me of a show I love, Bridgerton, from the dresses to the parties.

The publisher's summary:

The whole town is whispering about how Catherine Benson lost her virtue, though they can never agree on the details. Was it in the public garden? Or a moving carriage?

Only a truly desperate man would want her now—and that’s exactly what Andrew Davener is. His family’s estate is in disrepair, but Catherine’s sizeable dowry could set it to rights.

After the two wed, Catherine finds herself inexplicably drawn to Andrew. But could falling in love with her husband tear her marriage apart? In this richly detailed Regency romance, duty and passion collide in a slow-burn tale of intertwined fates.

Ruined is a sweet Regency story.  Our heroine was caught having pre-marital sex, in the bushes, with a man who was engaged to someone else. The villagers could not resist gossiping about her and her father was horrified at what she had done. Catherine's father made a quick wedding arrangement with an aristocratic family that needed money. In a few short weeks Catherine was married to Andrew Davener and taken to live at Davener House. The house was in a state of disrepair with a leaky roof and old furniture. Much of the family jewels had been sold to pay for some repairs. 

There were problems with the marriage from the start because Catherine and Andrew did not know each other, let alone love each other. Catherine did not want to consummate the marriage until she received proof of love from Andrew. He left her bedroom on their wedding night promising not to return unless she asked him to. Catherine threw herself into renovating her new home but did not have much contact with her husband, except at meal time. Both were abrupt with each other.  When Andrew asked her what she expected from the marriage she stated that she wanted love letters and poetry. Thus began their dance around each other as they slowly began to get to know one another. There were 4 or 5 problems that they encountered during this time period but eventually love won out. 

The plot had several twists and turns in the relationship that gave the story an air of mystery. I knew that they would end up together because, after all, this is a Regency romance. There were 3 other couples involved in the plot and one of them was gay, which was covered up by the two ladies working in the same business.  The ending was a happily ever after. 

I would love to see a sequel but do not know if that is in the author's plans.  We shall see.  I am rating the book 4 out of 5 stars. The story was good and the drawings were superb, colored in bright colors.

Uniquely Japan

Uniquely Japan is one of several travel guidebooks that I purchased for my upcoming trip to Japan. Most of them are in comic strip format. Three have been written by Abby Denson! She also wrote Cool Japan Guide and Cool Tokyo Guide which I will review later this month. Denson has used her own drawings and photographs in this book. There are chapters devoted to Arts and crafts, fun things to do, fashion, food, high tech toilets, Japanese creatures. and street sights.

I have learned to look down at the ground to see lavishly decorated manhole covers, pink polka-dotted backhoes, and toilets with warmable seats and blow dryers. I now know that I can get my ramen from a vending machine and I will see silly mascots promoting serious businesses and whimsical architecture for neighborhood police stations. Denson also discusses several types of sweets available in Japan, which is important to me! However, I have already begun researching sweets by ordering boxes of sweets and tea directly from Japan.

Uniquely Japan is a nice resource to have. While it is in no way a comprehensive guide, I know that there are a few things I will remember due to the comic strip format.  I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

Lunar New Year Love Story

I adore Gene Lien Yang's graphic novels. They are always comical and light reading even is the topic is serious. His novels are also clean reading, no sex or foul language. I was not aware of his newest title until last week and immediately bought a copy. It is fantastic! This one is about a couple who cannot get it together during their senior year of high school. There are a few magical creatures as characters as befitting a Chinese story.

The publisher's summary:  

She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.

Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed—no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.

But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?

Yang gives us realistic characters. Valentina, or Val, grew up with just one parent, her father. When she finds out the he lied about her mother' death she stops speaking with him for almost a year. Val's best friend Bernice is also raised by a single parent, her mother. Bernice cannot stand to be without a boyfriend and within 24 hours of a break up she finds a new love. We all knew someone like that when we were growing up. Val is the complete opposite. The boys in the story are typical Chinese Americans while their parents live a very Chinese life in the U.  S. 

Another reason I enjoy Yang's novels is that they are the same length as a traditional novel. Lunar is approximately 350 pages. This allows him to create fully formed characters and an extensive plot. The relationships among the kids in the story revolve around lion dancing. They are all taking a class on how to dance under a lion costume, as you would normally see at the Chinese new year and other special occasions. Val's relationships with two boys generally take place while they are sharing a costume to dance under. Val cannot decide which boy she really loves. A magical dragon has given her one year to find true love. If she fails then she must give the dragon her heart and foreswear future love interests. Val believes that her family will always be unlucky in love and is not sure that she can find true love.

The illustrations by Leuyen Pham are gorgeous. She has used primarily a red and pink color pallet to fit with Val's love of Valentine's Day. There are some panels colored in blues and greens but all the colors are bright as I like them. Her character's faces illuminate their emotions so when there is no dialogue in a panel strip, the reader knows how the characters are feeling. 

Lunar New Year Love Story is the perfect Valentine's Day story. It would make a great gift for both kids and adults who like comics.  I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Barnstormers

Barnstormers was published in Summer and Fall of 2022 as a 5 part Comixology Original. It was written by Scott Snyder with Tula Lotay drawing the scenes. Barnstomers is an adventure and romance story that is set in 1923. The barnstormer era in American history had WWI pilots offering civilians joyrides in the sky for a small fee. One of those pilots was Preston Pike, who has flown his way across the U. S. Southeast scrounging for customers. When a telephone operator tells him that there will be a big crowd waiting for him in nearby Barnville, Preston races over.  Instead of eager clientele, he finds himself crashing into a wedding and the bride to be decides to make a getaway in Preston's plane. Along the way, the two of them bond and become romantic with each other.

This was an enjoyable story that is quick to read.  I thought it was awesome that the bride decided to bail on her wedding. She had an arranged marriage with a man she did not love and when the plane crashes into the reception area she believes it is a sign to run. The style of the illustrations is modeled after adventure comics from the 1920s which I thought was fitting. The bright colors used by Dee Cunniffe gave the story a relaxed feel.

The final issue will not be released until tomorrow, April 4, 2023. 

New America

New America is a Comixology Original political thriller that explores the future of a divided nation. Curt Pires is the author of this three part series.  The story of the New America is set in a near-future landscape where a group of secessionists have broken away from the U. S. and created a new nation. They hope that it will be a utopia but an outbreak of violence makes it look just like the old America. Is this a foreshadow of what could come to Americans in the real world?

The story begins with the end of the old America with a partisan Congress, problems at the border, white supremacists and a crazy President Trump. The New America, though, is not any better. While the new president is African American, he uses power just like the white ones did. The politics is the same. The exception is that there are now armed guards everywhere throughout the nation. Citizens of the old America are seen as terrorists. 

This is a depressing comic. There wasn't much plot movement to keep me interested in the story but I kept reading because I expected a big ending. I didn't get it but perhaps that is the point. Separating the different factions in our country will not work. We have to talk to each other.

The Vision

The Vision #1 is a graphic novel about an android called Vision.  This android, sometimes called a "synthezoid," was built by the villainous robot Ultron created by Hank Pym. Originally intended to act as Ultron's son and destroy the Avengers, Vision instead turned on his creator and joined the Avengers to fight for the forces of good.  Part 1 collects the comic series 1 through 5 and was published in 2015 by Marvel.

The Vision wants to be human so he goes to the laboratory where he was created and he builds a family. There is his wife, Virginia and two twin teens Viv and Vin who look like him. They also have his powers and share his ambition to be ordinary. However, they have the power to kill. Ordinary, huh?

I found it amusing that this family always flew to wherever they were going.  If they wanted to be ordinary they should have walked or drove a car.  However, the kids flew through the air in order to get to school and, yes, they were seen in the air by students. It was also pretty amusing to see the kids try to learn the subjects everyone has to take in high school. Virginia would quiz them daily to ensure that they were doing well. Their power to kill, though, could not be turned off and we see Virginia and the twins use their powers of force when they were threatened.

This was a fun story so I will be getting the subsequent novels.

Paris

Paris is a graphic novel about a penniless American artist, Juliet, who travels from America to Paris to study painting. To make ends meet, Juliet paints portraits of wealthy debutantes. One of her subjects is Deborah, a young English woman suffocated by an overbearing aunt and the narrow expectations for her life by her aristocrat family. Juliet is equally as confined by the rigid academic structure of her art education and finds an unlikely kindred spirit in Deborah. Both woman love art and it brings them together.

While the book cover is in color, the entire novel was drawn in black and white. The style is French and all of the drawings are intricate, full page drawings. If you are familiar with the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, then you will understand what the pages look like. This style is not one I particular like but I must admit it fits the story and there are many comic lovers out there who are attracted to this style. I was disappointed that there was no color inside the pages. I felt there was a promise of color inside because the book cover is so colorful.

Regarding the story, it was pretty predictable.  There were no surprises or drama either. The author, Andi Watson, used alot of French dialogue, some of which I could understand due to my high school French classes. There was much that I did not understand but since there wasn't much of a plot, it didn't really detract from the comic. In general, I was disappointed that there wasn't more to the story.

2 out of 5 stars.

Wrap-Up of the Graphic Novel and Manga Challenge

I pledged to read 52 graphic novels or comic books this year. However, I only read 47.  A disappointment for sure since I came so close to my goal. Check out my reviews below:

Days of Sand by Aimee de Jongh

Roofstompers by Alex Paknadel 

.Self by Christopher Sebela

River of Sin by Kelly Williams

Memoria by Curt Pines

Policing the City by Didier Fassin

Bootblack by Mikael

Django by EFA

Olympia by Vives

Flake by Matthew Dooley

Eat the Rich by Sarah Gailey

Swine by Jesus Some

The Delicacy by James Albion

Billionaires by Darryl Cunningham

Putin's Russia by Darryl Cunningham

Night of the Ghoul by Scott Snyder

Trashed by Derf Backderf

The Realist by Asaf Hanuka

Saga #55 by Brian Vaughn

We Only Kill Each Other by Stephanie Phillips

Red Tag by Rafael Albuquerque and Rafael Scavone

The Panic by Neil Kleid

Cold Iron #1 by Andy Dingle

Chef's Kiss by Jarrett Melendez

After Lambana by Eliza Victoria

Always Never by Jordi Lifetree

Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body by Christopher Cantwell

Welcome to St. Hell by Lewis Hancox

Amazona by Canizales

A Visit to Moscow by Rafael Grossman

Georgia O'Keefe by Marie Hereros

Ducks: 2 Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

World Record Holders by Guy Delisle

In the Flood by Ray Fawkes

Vann Nath:  Painting the Khmer Rouge by Matteo Mastragostino

Moms by Yeong Shin Mei

Palimpsest by Lisa Wool-Rem Sjoblom

It Won't Always Be Like This by Malaka Gharib

Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte

Acting Class by Nick Drnaso

Alice Guy: First Lady of Film by Jose-Luis Bocquet

Invisible Wounds by Jess Ruliffson

I'm Still Alive by Roberto Saviano

Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo

Hotell by John Lees

Barnstormers by Scott Snyder

Beatrix Rose Vigilante by Stephanie Phillips

Favorite Book:  Olympia

2nd Favorite Book:  Trashed

Least Favorite Book:  After Lambana