The Local Man #1

I have been wanting to read The Local Man for awhile and finally found time to read it. This volume collects releases one through five of the acclaimed hit series by Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley. Volume 1 has 169 pages of brightly colored comic strip panels. There are several additional volumes that continue to tell this story. The series features many superhero characters. It was published in September 2023.

Jack Xaver is the main character. He was once the star recruit of the media sensation super-team Third Gen and was known as Crossjack. He had it all. However, he lost everything after getting fired. That him crawling back to his parent's basement in the Midwest. Jack struggles to fit into the world he left behind twenty years ago. Everyone in his small town of Farmington, Wisconsin are angry at him and do not want him there. After an adversary dies following a fight with Jack, he is arrested for murder. Jack has  an alibi though, a police officer's wife. 

Each of the five releases contained a main story and a flashback story. This pretty much confused me until I reread the book a second time. Interestingly, the setting is called the Image Universe. There is also a religious element too. I cannot imagine what any of it had to do with the plot and assume it will be explained in future releases. Also note that this comic is for adult readers only. There is alot of foul language, violence and sexy scenes. 

I still don't know where this series is going. Several superheroes were introduced but I didn't catch what their purpose was. Some of them worked with Jack at Third Gen though. Jack's scenes with his parents were the part of the book that I enjoyed the most, probably because they made sense to me. His parents are insisting that he reveal why he lost his job and that he get another job ASAP. They are practicing Christians and Jack obviously is not so there is tension between them.

This volume of the series set up the storyline that will follow. The characters have been introduced and the plot has space to grow. All in all, it was a good read. 3 out of 5 stars.

Icons of Design (Black Lives #2)

I received a free uncorrected proof of Icons of Design from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.  This 128 page graphic novel was written for kids aged 8 through 12 and it will be published on January 5, 2027. Black Lives is a new graphic novel series from award-winning author Tonya Bolden and illustrator David Wilkerson that celebrates the lives of Black innovators and legends and helps bring lesser-known histories to life. 

The publisher's summary:

Learn about the remarkable work of costume designers, toy makers, and architects in award-winning author Tonya Bolden and illustrator David Wilkerson’s exciting new graphic novel series about some of the most fascinating Black lives in history

Ann Lowe (fashion designer). Ed Welburn (automotive designer). Ruth E. Carter (costume designer). These aren’t names that many people learn about in school, but they’re some of the greatest designers that people should know about—and they join the ranks of toy designers, architects, and graphic designers celebrated in Icons of Design.

Each faced challenges as they rose to the top of their professions, but they didn’t back down. They kept creating and experimenting and learning, and they made significant contributions in each of their fields!

The lives of nine African American designers are featured in this informative graphic novel. It covers designers in the late 1800s to the present. The types of design included landscape, fashion, costume, car, toy and graphic design. These nine designers are Gus Williston, Ann Lowe, jewelry designer Art Smith, industrial designer Chuck Harrison, architect Roberta Washington, car designer Ed Welburn, costume designer Ruth Carter, toy designer David Vonner, and graphic designer Gail Anderson.

I particularly enjoyed the life story of landscape architect David Augustus Williston. He was born shortly after the end of the Civil War. Gus, as he was called, loved gardening as a child and eventually was admitted to a teacher training program at Normal School, later known as Howard University in Washington DC. Gus wanted more education and landed a spot at Cornell University, after being forced to take eight entrance exams. He wrote a thesis titled Atmospheric Drainage and graduated in 1897 with a bachelor of science degree in aagriculture. Gus did not stop learning more and more about landscaping. He had steady work throughout his life and opened his own design firm, earning plenty of prestigious clients. 

Another designer I loved was fashion designer Ann Lowe. She experienced many setbacks in her career due to her race but was so good at designing ball gowns that she was hired to design Jackie Bouvier's wedding dress when she married JFK. 

My incorrected proof of this graphic novel did not have any coloring for the drawings. I think it will end up with bold colors though because the book cover is a bright blue. It’s quite striking.  Icons of Design is an inspirational book. I loved reading all of the biographies inside its pages and certainly learned alot. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Total Suplex of the Heart

Total Suplex of the Heart was published in 2024 by Humanoids. This 161 page graphic novel is about a young journalist, Georgie, who goes undercover in the local hardcore wrestling scene, exploring themes of identity, toxic relationships, and self-discovery in a male-dominated world. The story is inspired by author Joanne Starer's own experiences.

The publisher's summary:  

Glowing up isn’t the same as growing up.

Georgie’s always been nerdy: Teased by jocks, spending her lunchtime with a comic in hand, and falling in love with wrestling from Saturday nights on the couch with her dad. But that was then – This is now!

She’s out of school, freelancing as a journalist, and hot as heck. In an effort to prove to her mom that she has a “real job,” she goes undercover in the local hardcore wrestling scene to investigate a piece. She’s quickly swept up in the drama, both in and out of the ring. With new friendships developing and potential romance blossoming, she’s riding the wave of attention that temporarily silences her own insecurities. But as girl fights, casual hook-ups, and creepy older men begin to dominate her days, Georgie has to ask herself who really holds the power in her life, and whether she’s happy with where it’s headed.

This was an enjoyable story. It would be nice if it continued with another release. I cannot remember any past comic concerning the wrestling world so the story is unique. Poor Georgie had to endure alot of sexism but she let it all fall by the wayside. The wrestlers who became her friends were always trying to get her into bed and a few of them got lucky. At one point Georgie thought she was pregnant and didn't know who the father might be. It turned out her menses stopped because of her anorexia. She questioned her relationship with Steve. They were living together but Georgie was doing all of the work in the relationship as well as in their business teaching women how to wrestle. 

Georgie was a sympathetic character, the only one in the comic. Her mental health struggles and the trauma from being raised by an incompetent mother scared her. She accepted poor treatment from her friends because she felt that was all she deserved. You just want to hug her. 

Total Suplex of the Heart is an intriguing story. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Lightbearer #1

Son of Light is the first book in the Lightbearer comic series. In just 21 pages the reader is introduced to Tomiwa. Tomiwa is  just a 13-year-old student trying to survive school, family expectations, and everyday life in the city of Lagos. However, he  sees things that no one else can see. Strange moments begin to happen. Shadows that move when they shouldn't, silence that falls when everything should be loud, and a feeling that he is being watched. Then one day, everything changes. A mysterious figure rescued him from a car accident. This figure is always calm and radiant. He has been watching Tomiwa for a long time.

I am not sure who or what the figure is. He is most likely an angel but I also wondered if he was Jesus. The story seems to show that there is a hidden battle happening around us every day. The battle is between light and darkness that most people cannot see. Tomiwa can see it though. I believe Tomiwa is a lightbearer. Lightbearers are people who embody and share goodness, virtue, and positive impact, regardless of religious affiliation. They are people who step in to help others, act with integrity, and stand up for what's right, even in small ways.

I am definitely interested in reading more of the series. We rarely see a comic that embodies goodness. Written by Samson Awobusuyi, the comic offers us a new kind of African superhero. According to the publisher the series has African storytelling, a superhero origin drama, a spiritual mystery and a faith-inspired themes of light overcoming darkness. It was published on March 7, 2026. I cannot wait to read the next release of this series. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Space Ghost Volume 1, #1

The Space Ghost series began being released in 2024. Volume 1, #1 is a 32 page beginning for the series. The story is about a cosmic vigilante who metes outs justice throughout the galaxy bringing vengeance to those who prey upon the defenseless. He is the Space Ghost. Written for teens, the comic is definitely kid friendly.

The publisher's summary:

Greed and corruption flourish in the darkness between stars. With the territories of the Galactic Federation spread far and wide across the vastness of space, pirates and hijackers ransack the distant colonies with cruel disregard for the innocent scientists living within them. Yet there is a cosmic vigilante who metes out justice throughout the galaxy, bringing vengeance to those prey upon the defenseless. Some say he is a policeman who has abandoned the strictures of the law. Others say he is a phantom, the sole survivor of a war-torn planet. And those who have survived his wrath claim he is more a force of nature, able to bend the very elements of Creation to decimate his enemies. They call him the SPACE GHOST -- and his adventures begin here.

I expected more background information for the first release of a series. The story opened with Jan, Jace and their father Dr. Jerrod Keplar on Space Colony Omicron. Dr. Keplar is frantically trying to get help from the Galactic Patrol because the space station is being overun by pirates. Dr. Keplar rushes to delete everything from his lab's mainframe computer but we never see him again after page 3. I didn't see any drawings that could explain what happened to him either. He was working on a program called BLIP but there was no explanation about the program. It was odd that the rest of release 1 was about Jan and Jace, young kids, trying to get away from the pirates. Obviously all of this is going to be explained in subsequent releases. However, without knowing what the story is about I am not interested in reading any additional releases. 

The story didn't grab my interest. 2.5 out of 5 stars. 

Wrap Up of the Graphic Novel and Manga Reading 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 30 novels. There isn't an annual sign up for the challenge anymore. Participants  just continue to post our reviews every year in the Facebook group site. 

The following are links to my reviews for 2025. 

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

Sliced by Rafael Scavone

Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

White Widow by Sarah Gailey

War on Gaza by Joe Sacco

Sacred Heart by Liz Suburbia

Budding Crisis #1 by MK Reed 

Dumb by Georgia Webber

Sugar Shack by Lucy Kindly

Black is the Color by Julia Gfrorer

Delver, Season One by Spike Trotman

40 Seconds by Jeremy Haun

Adora and the Distance by Marc Bernardin

Bad Mother by Christa Faust

Ms. Tree #1 by Max Allan Collins

Ms. Tree #2 by Max Allan Collins

Ms. Tree #3 by Max Allan Collins

The Dark by Mark Sable

Endless by Curt Pires

Alienated #1 by Taki Soma

Shang Chi by Gene Luen Yang

Spent by Alison Bechdel

Feral Volume 1 by Fleecs

Brownstone by Samual Teer

Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls

Muybridge by Guy DeLisle

We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen

The Holy Roller by Andy Samburg

Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson

Profane by Peter Mulligan

The Strange Tale of Oscar Zahn by Tai Vuong

Zodiac by Ai Weiwei

Favorite Book:  Ginseng Roots: A Memoir

Second Favorite Book:  Dumb

Least Favorite Book: Zodiac

Zodiac

In this deeply philosophical graphic memoir, legendary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei explores the connection between artistic expression and intellectual freedom through the lens of the Chinese zodiac. 

The publisher's summary:

As a child living in exile during the Cultural Revolution, Ai Weiwei often found himself with nothing to read but government-approved comic books. Although they were restricted by the confines of political propaganda, Ai Weiwei was struck by the artists’ ability to express their thoughts on art and humanity through graphic storytelling. Now, decades later, Ai Weiwei and Italian comic artist Gianluca Costantini present Zodiac, Ai Weiwei’s first graphic memoir.

Inspired by the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac and their associated human characteristics, Ai Weiwei masterfully interweaves ancient Chinese folklore with stories of his life, family, and career. The narrative shifts back and forth through the years—at once in the past, present, and future—mirroring memory and our relationship to time. As readers delve deeper into the beautifully illustrated pages of Zodiac, they will find not only a personal history of Ai Weiwei and an examination of the sociopolitical climate in which he makes his art, but a philosophical exploration of what it means to find oneself through art and freedom of expression.

Contemplative and political, Zodiac will inspire readers to return again and again to Ai Weiwei’s musings on the relationship between art, time, and our shared humanity.

I am not as enamored with the book as are other reviewers. There were several dialogues that I just didn't understand even though there are explanations of some of them. A major question for me was why Ai is a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) when he grew up in a rural area with his exiled father. He has been purged more than once and says he believes in free speech and human rights. Why the CCP membership?

Ai's life story is told as each animal of the zodiac is explained. In the chapter on the snake he wrote about Mao. Ai knew Mao personally but says that Mao is a snake, as all politicians are. Ai Weiwei believes that to be an artist you must be also be an activist. If you're not an activist then you are a dead artist 

The black and white drawings, though detailed, did not help me enjoy the book. They are drawn in comic book panels and are rather detailed but the dialogue was more interesting than the drawings.

I had high expectations for this memoir but it fell short. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn

I knew when I picked up this book that it would stretch my reading potential. Here, we have a paranormal investigator who looks into mysteries to solve. I was unprepared, though, for how bizarre this book really is. It is way different than my usual fare of thrillers and historical mysteries but I thought I should stretch my mind. 

The publisher's summary:

Oscar Zahn is just like any other paranormal investigator—he’s working hard to make the world a better place, one exorcism at a time. So what if he’s just a floating skull wearing a trench coat? He’s still got a heart of gold!

In this first installment of the online webcomic sensation The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn, join Oscar and his mysterious assistant Agnes as they embark on a terrifying yet heartwarming journey across ethereal realms, rescuing lost souls and solving creepy mysteries. Their travels take them across great distances and even through time, as Oscar sleuths out why the spirits he contends with are restless and malcontent. Yet the more mysteries he solves, the clearer it becomes that there's a greater game afoot, one that involves Oscar's own forgotten origin story.

Readers will love this beautifully illustrated paranormal graphic novel from Tri Vuong, the beloved creator of Webtoon’s The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn.

This volume collects episodes 1–65 of the Webtoon comic The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn.

The book contains eight short graphic stories that feature character Oscar Zahn. Out of the eight stories, the three about WWI were my favorites. All of them were about different characters in the Battle of the Somme. When I say that they were my favorites, I am really saying that I understood them. I knew what was happening. Not so with the other five stories. They were beyond my ability to understand. I cannot fault the author for writing a genre that I don't normally read so there will be no rating of the book. I am sure that there is a market for this kind of book as I have read many positive reviews of it. If you are into paranormal comics, you may enjoy it.

The Holy Roller

I found this newly published comic while browsing at Barnes and Noble. It has an interesting premise. Pro bowler Levi Coen must quit his job and return to his hometown in order to care for his ailing father. He discovers that the town is now run by neo-nazis. Levi becomes a vigilante hero who smashes people's faces with a bowling ball. He only uses balls from his bowling ball collection to defend himself. Levi then battles to liberate the town and becomes the Holy Roller.  This edition, 978-1-5343-9732-3, collects all nine issues of The Holy Roller. It was published in March 2025.

The story begins with Levi as a child, then as a sailor. We don't see him deciding to be a superhero until a third of the way into the story. Levi's father was a pro bowler too and his father is upset that Levi didn't bowl professionally. Levi is Jewish. The nazi town leaders do not like him so they burned down his father's house, leaving them with no where to live. This is when Levi becomes a superhero. 

The artwork was fantastic! However, some of the pages showed violent scenes as well as the victims with their heads bashed in and bleeding. Young readers may not want to see these images. Also, there is alot of salty language that may be inappropriate for young readers. I love how Levi dispensed justice by slamming people with the bowling ball. It was comical. There was alot of humor written into the story too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this comic and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Spent

Alison Bechdel's Spent graphic novel was published earlier this week. The novel's main character is Alison herself but this Alison has a different life history. Book Alison runs a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont. She is upset over climate change and the possibility of civil war in the U. S.  Book Alison’s first graphic novel was about her father’s taxidermy business and was made into a successful, Emmy award winning TV show. Alison is trying to sell her second graphic novel, which is about late capitalism and her guilt over being white. She wants to free people from consumer capitalism and live a more ethical life. However, she wonders whether her love of her middle class lifestyle is a betrayal of her lifelong values.

The book is quite funny. The plot is structured around the contents of a Marxist explanation of money. While this sounds serious, it is written with funny lines by all of the characters who are not afraid to poke fun at themselves and the politicians they follow. Alison has a conservative sister Sheila who is a nationally renowned seed artist. Sheila and Alison just barely tolerate each other. The story became slow in the middle. There was too much dialogue on politics and special interest groups and not much action. We read about Alison’s daily life here.

Alison’s partner is Holly. She is a sculptor by trade. Holly's character resembles the author’s own wife, Holly Rae Taylor, an artist who did the coloring on Spent. The couple meets daily with their friends, which includes Stuart who is a Bernie Sanders look-alike, Stuart's wife Sparrow and their college dropout kid, J.R., and Lois, who acts as a sort of tour guide to other people’s sexual hangups and fetishes.

I would not recommend the book for children. While there is no profanity, the book has several drawings of characters having sex. In addition, there are discussions among them about being lesbians. I don't think kids would be interested in it anyway because the storyline is about middle aged characters. All of the characters are extremely liberal in their politics. They constantly talk about their activities volunteering for many political groups.

I enjoyed this comic but there was too much politics for my taste. I am rating it 4 out if 5 stars.

Delver Season 1

Delver Season 1 is a Comixology Original comic. It collects releases 1 through 5 and there are 5 seasons of this 2019 comic. It is kid friendly; no foul language, violence or sex. 

The publisher's summary:

When the door to a living dungeon surfaces in the tiny hamlet of Oddgoat, village girl Temerity Aster has two choices: abandon the only home she's ever known to carpet baggers and sellswords, or carve out a place for herself and her family in the new and dangerous world of delving. 

The story opens with a boy being sent to the family's root cellar for ingredients needed for dinner. He finds an entrance to the Dungeon and tells the family when he returns. Soon neighbors are talking about it and the gossip spreads. People begin coming from all over the world to try and gain their fortunes in this dangerous place. The story focuses on Merit, a fifteen year old girl who decides to try her fortune as a Delver as the Dungeon irrevocably changes the life of those in the community. 

The first thing I noticed was that the main family of the series is dark skinned while the people who come out of the dungeon are crazy looking white people. This theme is carried out throughout the 141 pages of the comic. I thought it was hilarious. So what is delving? It is searching for treasure in the dungeon. In order to enter and exit the dungeon you have to find the door. To make matters difficult, the doors move and close frequently. Most of the time you are rich beyond belief when you exit the dungeon so everyone wants to enter. 

I cannot wait to read all 5 seasons! Delver is a cute comic for all ages. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Black Ghost: Hard Revolution

This graphic novel is a short, 135 page super-hero story. I selected it for the Color Coded Reading Challenge. I have been struggling to finish my reading challenges this year and am thrilled to find a short read that meets the requirements of the challenge. This Season One edition collects releases 1 through 5 in a print for the first time. It was published in 2020.

In the story Lara Dominguez is a troubled City of Creighton police reporter who is obsessed with the city's debonair vigilante, the Black Ghost. With the help of a mysterious cyber-informant named Lone, she is getting closer to uncovering the Ghost's identity. But as she searches for the breakthrough story that she desperately needs, Lara will have to navigate the corruption of her city, the uncertainties of virtue, and her own personal demons. The question is whether she will have the strength to be part of the solution or will she become the problem?

There was plenty of suspense in this mystery. Each release ended with a bang and that kept me interested enough in the plot to continue reading. The book is a blend of the crime noir and vigilante superhero genres. Lara is an alcoholic, lesbian vigilante who takes on the Black Ghost identity after the previous Black Ghost was killed in action. Our heroine is always drunk or has a hangover. She abandoned all her other journalist assignments to pursue the vigilante in the night and loses her job as a result. Also, Lara has a lot of family history to process concerning the death of her brother and all of this impedes her judgement. In addition, Lara also finds time to teach night GED classes and this where she meets Ernesto, who becomes her unlikely partner. 

Lara is a great character. She is tough physically and is a fabulous investigative rreporter. I also liked Ernesto. He played a small role on these releases but I can see he is going to be a good sidekick for Lara. He met Lara in a GED class that she was teaching. This is an odd dimension to her character but I assume it will be drawn upon in later editions. Other characters were either co-workers or the villains the Black Ghost is fighting.

The story had a light feel and was a fun, relaxing read. Season 2 of the story is out and I am definitely going to read it.  5 out of 5 stars.