Monthly Comic Corner: August Edition

“Monthly Comic Corner” is a segment that compiles mini-reviews of comics, graphic novels, and manga that I’ve read for the month. Here are my reviews for the month of August which features roller derbies, sea life, and mystical, magical kingdom far-far away.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole. So when Astrid signs up for roller derby camp, she assumes Nicole will too. But Nicole signs up for dance camp with a new friend instead, and so begins the toughest summer of Astrid’s life. There are bumps and bruises as Astrid learns who she is without Nicole…and what it takes to be a strong, tough roller girl. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

Roller Girls is an entertaining, motivational, upbeat coming-of-age (Middle Grade) tale. The main character, Astrid, is dealing with life changes and after going to a roller derby event she is inspired to learn the sport. She goes on a journey of growth by learning the do’s and don’t of the sport all while finding herself. On top of that she struggles with her best friend pulling away from her and finding new friends that she can relate to. I not only enjoyed the plot of this book but I also learned about roller derby. The author plays in a roller derby league as well and I liked that she took some of her own experiences and put them into the story. The artwork is vibrant and fun and definitely adds to the story!

Final Verdict: 

Children of the Sea, Vol. 1 by Daisuke Igarashi

Synopsis: When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does.Ruka’s dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans’ fish. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

Children of the Sea one of the most visually stunning manga I have read in quite a while. The art work is incredibly detailed, especially the way the underwater scenes are displayed and the way sea creatures are drawn. This manga follows the story of a girl named Ruka who constantly feels out-of-place, but feels most at ease when she’s in the sea. She befriends two brothers named Umi and Sora who are human but because of the special way kids are raised they are almost like sea creatures.The story moves at a moderate place and the story is unique, mysterious premise draws readers in. Feels like part fantasy part magical realism. I haven’t read a lot of manga such as this but the cliffhanger/ story itself leaves me wanting more.

Final Verdict:

Bride of the Water God, Vol. 1 by Mi-Kyung Yun

Synopsis: When Soah’s impoverished, desperate village decides to sacrifice her to the Water God Habaek to end a long drought, they believe that drowning one beautiful girl will save their entire community and bring much-needed rain. Not only is Soah surprised to be rescued by the Water God — instead of killed — she never imagined she’d be a welcomed guest in Habaek’s magical kingdom, where an exciting new life awaits her! Most surprising, however, is the Water God himself… and how very different he is from the monster Soah imagined. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

My interest in this manga was sparked by the recent (TV) K-drama adaptation of this story. The synopsis intrigued me and I thought its fantasy elements sounded cool. A teenager/young woman(?) is sacrificed to the water god as a bride in order to help her village flourish. At first she is fascinated by the wonderful things the magical kingdom has to offer, but homesickness sets in. On top of everything, she is still resentful of the village’s and her family’s choice to sacrifice her. The first volume has good world building; shows the main landscape, introduces the inhabitants of the kingdom without giving too much away lots of mystery.

I really loved the concept and the art is absolutely gorgeous! The attention to detail of the landscapes makes you really feel like you’re in the story. I can’t wait to read more!

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. 🙂

*Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links!