Comic Corner Roundup: September

“Comic Corner Roundup” is a bi-monthly segment that compiles mini-reviews of comics, graphic novels, and manga that I’ve read recently. Here are my reviews for the month of September which include a secret book club, life in an otome game, and navigating college hockey.

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada (Author), Ko Hyung-Ju (Illustrator) (2020)

When Kim Hyun Sook started college in 1983 she was ready for her world to open up. After acing her exams and sort-of convincing her traditional mother that it was a good idea for a woman to go to college, she looked forward to soaking up the ideas of Western Literature far from the drudgery she was promised at her family’s restaurant. But literature class would prove to be just the start of a massive turning point, still focused on reading but with life-or-death stakes she never could have imagined.

This was during South Korea’s Fifth Republic, a military regime that entrenched its power through censorship, torture, and the murder of protestors. In this charged political climate, with Molotov cocktails flying and fellow students disappearing for hours and returning with bruises, Hyun Sook sought refuge in the comfort of books. When the handsome young editor of the school newspaper invited her to his reading group, she expected to pop into the cafeteria to talk about Moby Dick, Hamlet, and The Scarlet Letter. Instead she found herself hiding in a basement as the youngest member of an underground banned book club. And as Hyun Sook soon discovered, in a totalitarian regime, the delights of discovering great works of illicit literature are quickly overshadowed by fear and violence as the walls close in.

Review: Since Banned Book week was in late September, I wanted to read something that coincided with that week. I was so excited to find Banned Book Club at my local library. It’s a very interesting autobiographical graphic novel about the author’s time during South Korea’s Fifth Republic. The graphic novel truly captured the essence of the turbulent time and the power that came with discovering these banned books that taught these students new ideas. Reading this book made me reflect on why it is so important to have the freedom to read and not to censor books. The books in this novel represent a greater symbolism and a way for these students to fight against the restrictions they grow up in. The only downside I would say is that this book packs in a lot of history in a short time, so I would encourage those who want to learn more about this period in South Korean history to see out some other resources.

Final Verdict:

Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter Vol. 1 by Reia (2018)

It’s hard to get a happy ending when you’re stuck in an otome game–as the antagonist! After a young woman gets hit by a car, she wakes up in her favorite dating sim as “Iris,” the villain of the game. Iris decides that rather than chase after the prince, she’ll go down a different route: revolutionize society and save her father’s failing fiefdom! Now it’s not only Iris’s happy ending at stake, but the whole country’s…

Review: This is a series I’ve seen floating around in the bookstore and since it was on the bargain shelf, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by this manga and its setting of a young woman who lives in her otome game. It reminds me of RPG games I’ve played in the past, so I think the concept appeals to people who enjoy gaming. The first volume is a bit slow for my liking, but it does take the time to give us background on Iris’ character and the various setup for the game. Full of lush scenery and period costumes this manga is fun to read and immersing the readers into the game. I was hoping for more plot surrounding the character’s real-life before her accident, but it may be explored in further volumes. For now, I’m interested enough to see how the story will progress.

Final Verdict:

Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey (Check, Please! #1-2) by Ngozi Ukazu (2018)

Y’all… I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking. And then, there is Jack—our very attractive but moody captain.

A collection of the first half of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life.

Review: This series has been on my TBR for the longest and I’m so glad I finally read it. Though I’m not the biggest reader of sports manga/graphic novels I found this series to be very entertaining. I think it is well-balanced between the slice-of-life bits and the hockey games shown on the pages. Though it’s about the bromance of a hockey team that essentially acts as one big family (which I thought was so endearing) it also talks about navigating college. I could relate to their struggles of trying to get through classes, balance a busy schedule, and growing into adulthood. On top of that, I loved Bitty to pieces! He’s such a lovable main character and I like how the story portrayed his growth over the course of the story. I also learned a lot about hockey. I can’t wait to read Volume 2!

Final Verdict:

What comics, graphic novels, or manga have you read lately? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have any recommendations feel free to share those as well.