A witty, wildly diverting romantic SF thriller.
In Perillo and Cardoselli’s graphic novel, a robot in a dystopian future fights for the woman he’s just fallen in love with.
JoJo is a round-bodied, thin-limbed robot living in a crowded city. Even though he drives a taxi for humans who don’t mask their hatred of robots, he stays positive and appreciates life’s “little extraordinary things.” His own life takes a pleasantly unexpected turn when Gilda Atkinson Pedretti hops into his taxi cab. She’s a beautiful woman who, like JoJo, has a fondness for Nina Simone and old black-and-white movies. They make a date, but then Gilda seemingly vanishes. When she finally calls, she fearfully asks for help before the call is cut off. As JoJo soon learns, Gilda is the lawyer for the Polpette Mafia, and the mob boss’ son is apparently obsessed with her. The tenderhearted robot, convinced this woman is his only chance at happiness, has no qualms about facing off against trigger-happy gangsters if there’s a chance he can save her. Perillo’s writing, coupled with Cardoselli’s artwork, delivers a smashing blend of sci-fi, romance, and noir (JoJo’s bug-eyed cat Frida narrates with the cynicism of a world-weary detective). The author wisely keeps the narrative simple while providing glimpses of characters’ backstories, including those of Gilda and robots in general. The handful of bullet-riddled action scenes include delightful touches of humor; JoJo doesn’t carry a gun like the mobsters and uses what he can for a weapon (a phone proves especially handy). Cardoselli sublimely captures all of this chaos in pages bursting with vivid visuals (like a recurring gag of heavily advertised Perillo’s Cakes and Donuts) in jumbled panels fighting for space. And while JoJo is an undeniably winsome hero, it’s gleefully self-absorbed Frida who steals the show.
A witty, wildly diverting romantic SF thriller.Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781545812020
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth.
Superman confronts racism and learns to accept himself with the help of new friends.
In this graphic-novel adaptation of the 1940s storyline entitled “The Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman radio show, readers are reintroduced to the hero who regularly saves the day but is unsure of himself and his origins. The story also focuses on Roberta Lee, a young Chinese girl. She and her family have just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis proper, and mixed feelings abound. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane’s colleague from the Daily Planet, takes a larger role here, befriending his new neighbors, the Lees. An altercation following racial slurs directed at Roberta’s brother after he joins the local baseball team escalates into an act of terrorism by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. What starts off as a run-of-the-mill superhero story then becomes a nuanced and personal exploration of the immigrant experience and blatant and internalized racism. Other main characters are White, but Black police inspector William Henderson fights his own battles against prejudice. Clean lines, less-saturated coloring, and character designs reminiscent of vintage comics help set the tone of this period piece while the varied panel cuts and action scenes give it a more modern sensibility. Cantonese dialogue is indicated through red speech bubbles; alien speech is in green.
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth. (author’s note, bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77950-421-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet bedtime story.
A boy and his stuffed bear head into the woods.
Having captured readers’ attention with Born a Crime (2016), his bestselling memoir of growing up in South Africa, comedian and television host Noah has written a parable about decision-making. As he puts it in a brief prologue, “It’s about disagreements and difference—but it’s also about how we bridge those gaps and find what matters most, whether we’re parents or kids, neighbors, gnomes, or political adversaries. It’s a picture book, but it’s not a children’s book. Rather, it is a book for kids to share with parents and for parents to share with kids.” With plentiful illustrations by Hahn and in language aimed at young listeners, it tells the story of a small boy so impatient to start his Saturday adventures that he rebels against the rules of his household and heads out without brushing his teeth or making his bed, despite the reminders of his stuffed bear, Walter. “We can’t just run away,” protests the bear. “Your mother will miss you. And where will we sleep? And who will make us waffles?” “We’ll build our own house,” the boy responds. “And we’ll grow our own waffles!” From there, the pair go on their walkabout, encountering a garden gnome, a pair of snails, and a gang of animated coins who have lessons to offer about making choices. Though the author suggests in the introduction that adult readers might enjoy the book on their own, those looking for a follow-up to the memoir or a foray into adult fiction should be warned that this is not that book.
A sweet bedtime story.Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9780593729960
Page Count: 128
Publisher: One World/Random House
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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