LASER MOOSE AND RABBIT BOY: DISCO FEVER by Doug Savage

Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy are back in LASER MOOSE AND RABBIT BOY: DISCO FEVER. When Rabbit Boy catches up to Laser Moose, Laser Moose is hunting a new villain, a creature he believes is more evil than his nemesis Cyborgupine: a cute little Chickadee. As the story unfolds, it leaves the reader guessing whether or not Chickadee is a master villain, one of the good guys, or a creature that just gets caught in the middle of things. After a bunch of disco balls are lost from a truck, Cyborgupine creates a plan how to defeat Laser Moose once and for all. Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy are a really unique duo and a set of graphic novels. I’m looking forward to reading more of their zany adventures.

LUPIN LEAPS IN by Georgia Dunn

LUPIN LEAPS IN is a compilation of stories of the comic strip “Breaking Cat News.”  The BNN features three cats: Lupin, Elvis, and Puck. They report on news that matters to cats. This particular book focuses on many of the adventures of Lupin. I am not a cat person and initially was not a fan of “Breaking Cat News.” However, while I’m still not a fan, the series has grown on me somewhat and I’m at least amicable to it. The cats in this comic have bigger personalities than Garfield and are more realistic in their behaviors. If you’re a cat lover, you’ll probably enjoy the strip and like LUPIN LEAPS IN.

ZITS: NOT SPARKING JOY by Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman

NOT SPARKING JOY is the latest treasury of “Zits” comic strips. It features the Duncan family:  Dad Walter, Mom Connie, and their crazy teenage son Jeremy. The strips featured in the book appear to have run in newspapers from January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017. "Zits" is more of a gag-a-day strip, but it does occasional feature a short running story or a weeklong themed strip. I still enjoy reading “Zits,” but I do have to admit that sometimes it occasionally gets stale. The title of the book comes from Marie Kondo and a few strips that revolve around Kondo’s cleaning philosophy.

BIG NATE: BLOW THE ROOF OFF! by Lincoln Peirce

The continuing middle school adventures of Nate Wright (aka Big Nate) continue in BIG NATE: BLOW THE ROOF OFF! Honestly, the strongest storyline in this book is that Nate’s summer crush, Trudy, is the new girl at Nate’s school. Nate is so excited. However, there’s a slight problem: Trudy is in the 7^th grade and Nate is a 6^th grader. There are a few other storylines in this collection, but the majority of the stories in the collection revolve around Nate & Trudy. BIG NATE: BLOW THE ROOF OFF! Includes a pull-out poster of the book’s cover.

Graphic Novel Challenge 2019

For the past several years I have participated in the online graphic novel challenge. This has been the only online reading challenge I have ever participated in. I completed the second tier in the challenge for this year (2018) by reading and reviewing at least 24 graphic novels during the year. I still might be posting a couple more reviews before the end of the year, but it's time to get ready for 2019. There are 5 levels this year. I know I could probably attain the Golden Age level (104 books read and reviewed during the year) if I had the time, but I always seem to get distracted. So, I'll start out simple and just try for Modern Age level again (12 books read and reviewed) and if I meet that, increase my goal. If you're interested in the graphic novel challenge, check it out here.

Book Review: UNICORN ON A ROLL by Dana Simpson

UNICORN ON A ROLL is the second collection of "Phoebe and Her Unicorn" comics. The adventures that began when a unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, befriended the young human girl, Phoebe, continue. This comic is a traditional old-school comic full of wit, intelligence, and heart. While there are unicorns, the characters are well-developed and not just comic caricatures. Some of the big stories in this collection include Phoebe having to write Valentines, Phoebe being invited to a unicorn birthday party, and Phoebe being cast in the lead of her school play. I enjoy the "Phoebe and Her Unicorn" comics and look forward to reading more of Phoebe and Marigold's adventures together.

Book Review: BIG NATE: A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED WEDGIE

Lincoln Peirce's continuing misadventures of middle schooler Nate Wright continue in BIG NATE: A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED WEDGIE.  In this collection, some of the storylines include Francis really annoying everyone with his strict adherence to grammar; Chad's grandma puts him on a strict diet;  Nate's grandpa comes to stay with him and his dad while grandma is on a senior bus trip; Nate's baseball team gets a new pitcher that turns out to be a girl he has a crush on; and Jenny moves back from Seattle and Nate sets his sights on gaining her affection, even though she immediately begins dating Artur. The "Big Nate" comics have gotten better over time and this is a nice collection of them. When purchased new, this book contains a "Big Nate" poster.