Title: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong
Author: Prudence Shen
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2013
Price: $18.99
ISBN: 978-1596436596
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Nerds versus jocks. Who will win in securing the student body president victory in the name of their own goals? Or will they come together and work toward a compromise? When the school has extra money to allocate, it is the Cheerleaders versus the Robot Team. The Cheerleaders want new outfits. The Robotics Team wants an opportunity to compete. The only way they can get that money is to become friends with the new student body president.
Nate, the Nerd, and Charlie, the Jock, are friends. Neither of them knows exactly why they are friends, but somehow, they keep coming to each other for their problems. Their friendship is tested when Holly, ex-girlfriend to Charlie and head cheerleader, sets Charlie up to run against Nate, who is running for his own team. Can they overcome this issue in their friendship? Is it even worth it for Charlie? He’s not exactly running anyway.
A wrench is thrown into everyone’s plan when politics goes just a little too far and it is up to The Robotics Team and the Cheerleaders to consider a plan of action that will benefit them both. Will it though?
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Recommended Audience: high school
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Things to be aware of: crude humor; mild violence; robot violence; challenge to authority; mild swearing
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Further Thoughts: The eternal struggle between Nerds and Jocks is highlighted in this story as the Robotics Team and Cheerleaders fight for their goals. The strength in this one is that it highlights the idea that sometimes, you need to work together.
The Nerd group is a diverse group of people but none of them ever exactly fit the “stereotype.” They are all aspects of the stereotype but are their own person. It is a fun group to watch interact, even as some characters take a backseat to others (which is highlighted in a surprise twist ending). They are willing to fight for what they believe in and they are pretty level headed. Except Nate. Nate is a bit narrow minded, which helps the story as he only wants a certain end goal and will do anything to achieve it.
The Cheerleaders are everything you think of when it comes to cheerleaders, but again, we’ve got a diverse group of characters. The humor in their characters comes from the fact that they are so regimented and so stuck up. They are also a pretty smart group. Not “nerd smart” but enough that they do have their part in the story.
And then there is Charlie. He straddles the line with his friendship to Nate and his participation in sports (and at one point “dating” Holly). It is his character that is probably the center of this story and the common thread. He’s got his own problems outside of the high school drama that Nate and the Cheerleaders are making with him. He’s mad at his parents and would prefer not to get on anyone’s bad side. In the beginning, he’s still willing to do what he needs to do to not challenge the status quo. By the end though, he’s challenged it and finally found his voice for his problems at home.
Black and white illustrations tell this story in Faith Erin Hicks’s style. If you haven’t read her other work, you’ll recognize this as her style. Ironically, I kept forgetting I wasn’t reading a work by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Scott Pilgrim). Her own style is very close. You could probably say it is part Hope Larson and part O’Malley. It’s definitely great art. The only downside is that the robot actions get a bit confusing, but that’s for only two panels.
Highly recommended and I’ll be picking up a copy.
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Bonus: Did you see my post about the Interesting Marketing Strategy for this one? Faith Erin Hicks was/is a webcomic artist (according to Wikipedia).
Source: Netgalley Request. (Pub date: May 7, 2013)
Showing posts with label Faith-Erin-Hicks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith-Erin-Hicks. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
An Interesting Marketing Thing
In the age of webcomics, to have a book that is going to be published all ready, but is uploaded like a webcomic is pretty neat. Basically, for some reason I was Googling Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong, the graphic novel, which I'm currently reading the ARC of. The first result was this: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong, the website. Basically, until the book is published, a page will be updated weekly. It is kinda, sorta, similar to Erstwhile and Red String and some other webcomics I read with an overarching plot, but updated weekly. Erstwhile was all ready published in the beginning (and generally, I get the impression the stories are done when they start uploading them) and Red String is an online manga that the author is working on all along.
The only downside to this is that the free version will probably disappear eventually (as what happened to Friends With Boys), which is a shame. I like my webcomics and until I can get my hands on the book, rereading it online will have to do (and I don't get many of those because I do not have extra cash for books).
Debate anyone? Thoughts? Either way, if you want to preview it, there it is.
The only downside to this is that the free version will probably disappear eventually (as what happened to Friends With Boys), which is a shame. I like my webcomics and until I can get my hands on the book, rereading it online will have to do (and I don't get many of those because I do not have extra cash for books).
Debate anyone? Thoughts? Either way, if you want to preview it, there it is.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Brain Camp by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan; Illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks
Title: Brain Camp
Author: Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2010
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-1-59643-366-3
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: First a commercial:
Do you have a child who is “underachieving”? Or maybe your child is a “juvenile delinquent”? If you do, you may want to send your child to the exclusive “Camp Fielding: A Summer of Learning and Fun!” Here, your child will not only mature, he or she will shine and make you proud. Act quickly though as this is an invite-only camp. If your child is chosen, Mr. Oswald will visit you, and please be prepared to make your decision then.
Lucas and Jenna are seen as outsiders, underachievers, and failures in their parents’ eyes. Lucas’s mother suspects he’ll just end up in jail like his father. Jenna hasn’t seemed to mature, study, or prepare for an early entry into Yale. When the mysterious Mr. Oswald visits these families on the same night, Lucas and Jenna learn that their lives are about to change.
Once at Camp Fielding, Lucas and Jenna spy each other. They immediately dislike each other, but quickly learn to be allies at this bizarre camp. Something fowl (pun intended) is afoot at Camp Fielding. Lucas and Jenna are replacements for the two campers (who the reader met at the beginning) that left due to “family emergencies.” But, that is not what throws them off. First it is the camp activities, given without instruction. Then, there is the horrible, mushy food. After that, their friends quickly turn into smart zombies. What is even stranger to Lucas and Jenna is what happens at night when students are in a deep slumber and the camp counselors sneak in. Not to mention, the building Lucas and Jenna discover on a trip to sneak out for “real” food. Jenna and Lucas must solve the mystery of Camp Fielding, before it is too late for them.
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Will Teens Like It? It’s most definitely a good teen title. Some teens may find this a good read because of previous camp experiences or the feelings of disappointed parents.
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Things to be aware of: Nothing really.
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Further Thoughts: Lucas and Jenna are both run-of-the-mill fourteen year olds. Lucas is getting into trouble and his mother just doesn’t know what to do any more (although, they live in a poor situation it seems). Jenna is a dreamer, which saddens her PHD parents who want her to be going to Yale already, like their friends’ children. So when Lucas and Jenna are thrown together, it is a surprise, I suspect, to the two characters that they are the only ones who can figure out the mystery. This just adds to how well rounded they are and where they need to grow. Of course, I don’t see how Jenna needs to fill the particular role her parents have given her, but at the same time, the rigors of education and hobbies (as illustrated early in the book) show that she should be living up to it (somehow this sounds familiar…).
The camp is much more than education. For these two teens it is also when they begin puberty as well as learning. To me, this makes the title a perfect fit to teens. The mystery story will appeal to mystery readers and the “Brain Camp” title with creepy smiling faces will appeal to the zombie crowd (seriously, it is just a different kind of zombie).
In a good graphic novel, the story is shown rather than told through the voices. In Brain Camp, the story is told in just the right amount of text and shown with the perfect panels and art. For a mystery, readers can easily pick up the clues that will fit in later and the astute reader will instantly see how everything builds up.
My only qualm is how quickly Jenna gets tricked later in the book. On one hand, I thought how sad, but on the other, at fourteen and lost as to what to do as adults won’t listen to her, I could easily see how she was tricked. This made me realize that, yes, she is only fourteen. It’s a perfect way for the writers to show it.
Overall, a fun title I couldn’t put down until I was finished. It was definitely worth the little bit of hype that I’ve seen for it.
------
Bonus: ALA 2011 Great Graphic Novel
Source: Library.
Author: Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second (:01)
Copyright: 2010
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-1-59643-366-3
-----------
Summary and Quick Thoughts: First a commercial:
Do you have a child who is “underachieving”? Or maybe your child is a “juvenile delinquent”? If you do, you may want to send your child to the exclusive “Camp Fielding: A Summer of Learning and Fun!” Here, your child will not only mature, he or she will shine and make you proud. Act quickly though as this is an invite-only camp. If your child is chosen, Mr. Oswald will visit you, and please be prepared to make your decision then.
Lucas and Jenna are seen as outsiders, underachievers, and failures in their parents’ eyes. Lucas’s mother suspects he’ll just end up in jail like his father. Jenna hasn’t seemed to mature, study, or prepare for an early entry into Yale. When the mysterious Mr. Oswald visits these families on the same night, Lucas and Jenna learn that their lives are about to change.
Once at Camp Fielding, Lucas and Jenna spy each other. They immediately dislike each other, but quickly learn to be allies at this bizarre camp. Something fowl (pun intended) is afoot at Camp Fielding. Lucas and Jenna are replacements for the two campers (who the reader met at the beginning) that left due to “family emergencies.” But, that is not what throws them off. First it is the camp activities, given without instruction. Then, there is the horrible, mushy food. After that, their friends quickly turn into smart zombies. What is even stranger to Lucas and Jenna is what happens at night when students are in a deep slumber and the camp counselors sneak in. Not to mention, the building Lucas and Jenna discover on a trip to sneak out for “real” food. Jenna and Lucas must solve the mystery of Camp Fielding, before it is too late for them.
---------
Will Teens Like It? It’s most definitely a good teen title. Some teens may find this a good read because of previous camp experiences or the feelings of disappointed parents.
--------
Things to be aware of: Nothing really.
----------
Further Thoughts: Lucas and Jenna are both run-of-the-mill fourteen year olds. Lucas is getting into trouble and his mother just doesn’t know what to do any more (although, they live in a poor situation it seems). Jenna is a dreamer, which saddens her PHD parents who want her to be going to Yale already, like their friends’ children. So when Lucas and Jenna are thrown together, it is a surprise, I suspect, to the two characters that they are the only ones who can figure out the mystery. This just adds to how well rounded they are and where they need to grow. Of course, I don’t see how Jenna needs to fill the particular role her parents have given her, but at the same time, the rigors of education and hobbies (as illustrated early in the book) show that she should be living up to it (somehow this sounds familiar…).
The camp is much more than education. For these two teens it is also when they begin puberty as well as learning. To me, this makes the title a perfect fit to teens. The mystery story will appeal to mystery readers and the “Brain Camp” title with creepy smiling faces will appeal to the zombie crowd (seriously, it is just a different kind of zombie).
In a good graphic novel, the story is shown rather than told through the voices. In Brain Camp, the story is told in just the right amount of text and shown with the perfect panels and art. For a mystery, readers can easily pick up the clues that will fit in later and the astute reader will instantly see how everything builds up.
My only qualm is how quickly Jenna gets tricked later in the book. On one hand, I thought how sad, but on the other, at fourteen and lost as to what to do as adults won’t listen to her, I could easily see how she was tricked. This made me realize that, yes, she is only fourteen. It’s a perfect way for the writers to show it.
Overall, a fun title I couldn’t put down until I was finished. It was definitely worth the little bit of hype that I’ve seen for it.
------
Bonus: ALA 2011 Great Graphic Novel
Source: Library.
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