Wicked Things 3, 4, 5 and 6

John Allison's Wicked Things story is continued in volumes 3 through 6.  Here we see the main character Charlotte Grote beginning her work investigating crimes for the police while she awaits her fate as an accused murderer. Grote is accused of killing a Japanese teen who was her competitor for a teen sleuth award.  He will be able to tell the police who attacked him when he comes out of a coma.  She is given an apartment to live in but must wear an electronic tracking device.

Grote is assigned to make coffee for the police officers.  They don't trust her to do police work until she comes up with a tip on how a burglary that they are investigating occurred.  Thousands of copies of the hottest new cell phone were stolen from a factory.  Grote figures out that this was an inside job and that the phones could have been sold in a pop-up shop.  She and the police track the phones to a pop-up shop but it had already been shut down with the thieves disappearing.  She then  goes undercover at a casino while the police investigate a robbery. Surprisingly, at the end of volume 6 Grote is released from custody as she has been absolved of the murder of the teen sleuth.

I love this comic and hate to see it end with volume 6. It was hard to wait for each new volume to be published as the plot moved fast and each volume had a suspenseful ending. Wicked Things had a great run in 2020. The first volume was published in March 2020 and the series ended in October 2020. It is a continuation of the Giant Days comic. I wonder what is next for author John Allison?

Green Lantern: Legacy

I did not read the original Green Lantern series as I was not yet interested in comics when it was published. Green Lantern Legacy is an off-shoot of the series and fuses the past storyline of the series with a brand new story.  The author, who is a Vietnamese American, has featured an Asian American hero in Tai Pham. Tai Pham is thirteen years old and lives in an apartment above his grandmother's store, the Jade Market. After she dies, Tai Pham learns about a big secret that his grandmother had and it changes his life. After he inherits her jade ring, Tai suddenly discovers that it inducts him into a group of space cops called Green Lanterns. As he learns how to use its power, Tai meets many new characters as his friends encourage him to use the ring wisely.  He also discovers that his neighborhood is overrun with racist bullies.  He is not sure if he can overcome them but begins to learn how to harness the ring's power to defeat them.

I really enjoyed this comic.  While it was written for young readers, this sixtysomething reader found it enheartening.  It's a story of overcoming disadvantages in life and how to deal with racism but told in a friendly, non-threatening way. The brightly colored illustrations also give this serious topic a light feel. The age old American idea that with power comes responsibility is also seen here. There are many lessons young readers can learn from this book. I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars.

Wicked Things

Wicked Things 1 and 2 is the story of  teen sleuth Charlotte Grote. It was written by John Allison of Giant Days fame. Part 3 will be published on July 22, 2020 and I can't wait. This is a humorous comic where the tables are turned on Grote as the child detective becomes the suspect in a homicide.

The story opens with Grote planning to leave home for college.  While going through her belongings Grote discovers that she was nominated in National Solver Magazine for Teen Detective of the Year for ages 16 through 18. After traveling to London's Savoy Hotel where the festivities are being held, Grote attends a party for the nominees. There she is invited to a private dinner with her toughest competitor, Kendo Miyamoto, whom she is enamored with. However, after entering his room Grote finds his dead body.  She is assumed to be the killer because she was the person who found him.

I chuckled at the artwork that detailed the physical attributes all women try to hide, ie, wide hips, stomach rolls, and big thighs. It made me think that a woman did the illustration of the book.  However, I was wrong. Max Sarin is the penciller and Whitney Cogar is the colorist. Sarin has previously worked with the author on Giant Days.

Wicked Things is the perfect murder mystery book but written in graphic novel format. It has all of the elements of a classic mystery and with its colorful drawings the book makes a fun, fast read. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.