Monthly Comic Corner: September 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 September which features brave heroine, a classic comic character, and a terrifying siblings that wreak havoc wherever they go.
Princess Princess Ever After
Synopsis: When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all.
Join Sadie and Amira, two very different princesses with very different strengths, on their journey to figure out what happily ever after really means — and how they can find it with each other. (description from Goodreads)
Review: This is a fun story about two princesses who want to be the hero of their own story? Sign me up! The book is very fast paced, we are introduced to the main characters, Sadie and Amira, immediately.The readers learn more about their backgrounds through the course of the story.
I loved everything about this story and it had me hooked from the beginning. The characters were interesting and the adventures the go on are exciting. And the two princesses fall in love, which are so cute! The artwork definitely matches the tone of this book and the drawings are so colorful and cute! My only complaint about this book is that it was way too short and I wish it was longer. Recommended middle grade read. It’s enjoyable, funny and heart-felt!
Final Verdict:
Jughead Vol. 1
Synopsis: In the grand tradition of comic book reboots like ARCHIE VOL. 1, Archie Comics proudly presents… JUGHEAD VOL. 1–from the comics dream team of Chip Zdarsky (HOWARD THE DUCK) and Erica Henderson (THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL)!
Riverdale High provides a quality education and quality hot lunches, but when one of those is tampered with, JUGHEAD JONES swears vengeance! Well, I mean, he doesn’t “swear.” This is still Archie Comics after all. (description from Goodreads)
Review: Jughead is reboot of a the classic character from the Archie comics which feature the same ol’ Jughead that people know and love. The writer does capture the essence of Jughead: loves hamburgers at Pop’s Diners, plays video games constantly, and has a very big imagination. The artwork was new to me too. I didn’t like it at first because of its very blocky style but then it grew on me.
This reboot failed to hold my attention. I actually enjoyed the original comics better. I liked that it was set up in the same style of Archie comics where every chapter is a new story though. And I did enjoy how each chapter veered into his imagination; there was a Jughead version of Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, and Man From U.N.C.L.E. which was fun.
I had to DNF this book and I only made it to the halfway point.
Final Verdict:
Dissolving Classroom
Synopsis: A pair of twisted siblings – Yuuma, a young man obsessed with the devil, and Chizumi, the worst little sister in recorded history – cause all sorts of terrifying and tragic things to happen wherever they go… (description from Goodreads)
Review: Ihave heard a lot of praise from this manga writer/artist and his works for a while now. Halloween is coming up and I was looking for some spooky manga to read so I picked this book.Ito’s art is supremely detailed, unsettling, and eerie. Which is all the elements you need for a solid horror manga. Though this is a collection of shorts, the creepy sibling duo that shows up in the first stories keeps reappearing throughout the book as they are tied to all of the supernatural incidents that keep happening.
Though I found the drawings to be super grotesque, it definitely adds to the story’s atmosphere. After reading this book now I see why Ito is so well-known for his horror manga. The pacing was smooth and the constant twists and turns had me on edge. I just might have to check out more of Ito’s work.
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!
You always have fun reads in your comcs posts! The only graphic work I’ve been reading lately is a serious one, by the Martini brothers, called The Unravelling. Previously they published Bitter Medicine about their experiences navigating the mental health system (in Canada, but it is a story which will resonate for readers anywhere) and now The Unravelling includes their mother’s experience with dementia (some similarities and some differences). The illustrations are Olivier’s (who lives with schizophrenia) and the text is Clem’s, who cares for his mother and his brother (with another brother). It’s a compelling story, though a sobering topic.
Thanks! I actually have some more serious (comic/graphic novel) reads in my TBR so hopefully I’ll review some of those too. Usually I do read lighter graphic novels. The Unravelling sounds like such an interesting book though. I like comic non-fiction books. Somehow the illustrated medium always pulls me in.
Glad to see Junji Ito is getting read more and more. “Grotesque” is truly the right word for a lot of his stories which are truly more terrifying than any other comic book/manga/graphic novel I have read.
Yeah, at first the images were super startling, but I got used to the style. I’m not the biggest horror manga fan, but I’m definitely checking out more of Ito’s work.
I felt the same about the Jughead comic book (I’ve only read the first issue). In comparison to the Archie reboot, I like the Jughead one better, but both failed to really hold my interest.
Really? I’m the opposite, I actually like the Archie reboot better. Too bad it didn’t work out.
Yea, I thought the first volume was boring 🙁 but I liked the art! 🙂