dc comics – Lu is lost in books

House of El: Shadow Threat by Claudia Gray and illustrated by Eric Zawadzki

Pubblicato il 1 gennaio 202119 dicembre 2020 da Lu

∙ YA Reads ∙ YA Winter Reads ∙ Anticipated 2021 Reads ∙ New Series ∙ Syfy/Fantasy Reads
∙ Resisting the Establishment ∙ Rebellion ∙ Star Crossed Lovers ∙ Doomed Romance

In House of El, Gray will explore life on Krypton through the eyes of Zahn and Sera -two teenagers who are different in every way -as they come together to investigate the dangers threatening their planet.

The three-part young adult graphic novel series will be brought to life by illustrator Eric Zawadzki (Heart Attack)) and the first installment will debut January 5, 2021.

Zahn is one of Krypton’s elites: wealthy, privileged, a future leader. Sera is one of Krypton’s soldiers: strong, dedicated, fearless. Their rule-bound society has ordained that their paths should never cross.

But groundquakes are shaking the planet’s surface. Rebellious uprisings are shaking the populace. Krypton’s top scientists–Jor-El and Lara–conduct a secret experiment that is meant to reform their planet from the cellular level up. Zahn and Sera must join forces to investigate the hidden dangers truly threatening Krypton. In the process, they form a bond that will endure past the end of the world…

First of all, thank you for this free book, DC! Thank you, NetGalley! All the opinions are my own.

I really loved reading this graphic novel! Set on Krypton, the story follows two characters, very different from one other. Zahn is a Re, from and élite classs, while Sera is a Ur, a soldier. Both of them are programmed to be and act in a certain way. Their paths shouldn’t cross, but slowly they start to question the truth about their government, about the groundquakes and the lies they are told. Between uprisings, esperiments and rebellion, in a society bound by caste, rules and lies, they will have to find a way to uncover the truth and save everyone.

The worldbuilding is really interesting and fascinating. The idea of this complex and advanced society, with its secrets and lies and people who act like nothing is wrong, who are programmed to follow certain rules and act in a certain way. It’s both creepy and fascinating, to be honest. The story follows both Zahn and Sera, their lives, roles and obligations very different from one other, until some events force them together. Opening their eyes, they will realize they could do something for their home and people.

The story is captivating and really interesting, dealing with themes like government lies, caste system, deaths and sacrifices. The illustrations are really beautiful and I’m in love with the style and colours, the characters are well written and crafted and I can’t wait to read what will happen next.

Here some of this amazing artwork!

Claudia Gray is the New York Times bestselling author of many science fiction and paranormal fantasy books for young adults, including the Defy the Stars series, the Firebird series, the Evernight series, the Spellcaster series, and Fateful. She’s also had a chance to work in a galaxy far, far away as the author of the Star Wars novels Lost Stars, Bloodline, and Leia, Princess of Alderaan. Born a fangirl, she loves obsessing over geeky movies and TV shows, as well as reading and occasionally writing fan fiction; however, she periodically leaves the house to go kayaking, do a little hiking, or travel the world. She will take your Jane Austen trivia challenge any day, anytime. Currently she lives in New Orleans.

Eric Zawadzki grew up in Vancouver, but he’s recently relocated to Calgary. He’s most well-known for the critically aclaimed THE DREGS and ETERNAL. His most recent work in comics is HEART ATTACK, for Image/Skybound comics, which he co-created and illustrated.

As Travars-Recensioni

You brought me the ocean by Alex Sanchez

Pubblicato il 9 giugno 20209 giugno 2020 da Lu

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

An HUGE thanks to DC comics for this free book for review.

TW: homophobia, homophobic slurs, physical assault

Jake Hyde lives in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, a city in the desert, with his overprotective mother, eager to keep him safe and away from the water, since his father drowned.

But Jake is attracted to and longs for the ocean, he wants to leave his hometown where he feels suffocated and go to college on the coast, while Maria, his best friend and neighbour, wants to stay there and Jake’s mom wants him safe and sound with her.

But Jake isn’t safe, not when he starts to question his sexuality, not when he applies to Miami University without telling anyone, not when he’s attracted to the swim team captain, Kenny, who is out and rebel and stick out in their hometown, bullied for being himself.

Jake’s life is complicated and full of secrets, secrets he hides from others and secrets he doesn’t even know about himself. When the time comes to face them, will he be ready?

I loved You brought me the ocean. I already knew Julie Maroh and Alex Sanchez and this graphic novel is simply amazing.

The artwork is so beautiful and evocative, I was really in love since the first page. The plot is captivating and I was right away able to relate and connect to the characters and their struggles.

Jake feels trapped in his hometown and his eagerness to get away and explore the world and the oceans, his dreams, fears and secrets are drawn and written skillfully. So his relationship with his overprotective and kind mother, with sweet Maria, with rebel Kenny.

It was so sweet reading how slowly Jake starts to understand his own feelings and decided to be himself around himself and others. How Jake starts to question his “birthmarks” and his affinity for the water, how he discovers his powers and past.

I was able to feel how he felt, his being trapped and eager to explore, to move, to be true and honest to himself. Maria and Kenny are also amazing characters, Maria with her secret feelings and the difficulty of being honest with herself and her best friend, Kenny with the fact he didn’t want to conform to anything and pretend to be anyone, with his complicated relationship with his father, who is struggling to accept his sexuality.

It’s beautiful and intense reading about Jake’s journey, in discovering his identity, his sexuality, supported by his friend, love and family.

You brought me the ocean deals with a lots of important themes, like homophobia and bullying (since, first Kenny, then Jake too are bullied by the bigots of the town), coming out, the difficulties of following your dreams, the loss of parents, friendship issues, physical assault.

It’s a book about the difficulty and strength in being true and honest to oneself, friendship and first love.

I recommend to everyone who wants to lose her/himself/themselves in a wonderful graphic novel about identity, love, courage and friendship.

HERE SOME IMAGERY TO SHOW YOU HOW AMAZING IS THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL!

About Alex Sanchez

Alex Sanchez has published eight novels, including the American Library Association “Best Book for Young Adults” Rainbow Boys and the Lambda Award-winning So Hard to Say. His novel Bait won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Book Award and the Florida Book Award Gold Medal for Young Adult Literature. An immigrant from Mexico, Alex received his master’s in guidance and counseling and worked for many years as a youth and family counselor. Now when not writing, he tours the country talking with teens, librarians, and educators about books, diversity, and acceptance. He lives in Penfield, New York, and at http://www.alexsanchez.com.

About Julie Maroh

Julie Maroh is a cartoonist, illustrator, feminist, and LGBTQ+ activist from Northern France. They wrote and illustrated the graphic novel Blue is the Warmest Color, about the life and love of two young lesbians, which was adapted into the award-winning film of the same name.

About DC’s YA Graphic Novels

DC’s young adult graphic novels introduce DC’s most iconic Super Heroes to a new generation of fans with stories told by some of the most successful authors from the young adult publishing space. The YA titles are standalone stories, not part of DC’s ongoing continuity, and completely accessible to new readers who have no previous knowledge of DC characters.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/you-brought-me-the-ocean-alex-sanchez/1136623920?ean=9781401290818

https://www.amazon.com/You-Brought-Me-Ocean-Aqualad/dp/1401290817/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.bookdepository.com/You-Brought-Me-Ocean-Aqualad-Graphic-Novel-Alexander-Hitz-Sanchez/9781401290818

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Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson

Pubblicato il 3 giugno 20205 giugno 2020 da Lu

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. An huge thanks to DC Comics for this free copy for review.

TW: children exploitation, harassment, kidnapping, mention of rape and sexual abuse, human trafficking.

Princess Diana of Themyscira always felt different and alienated from the Amazons in her island home and she hopes her sixteen birthday will change everything and she will finally feel part of the warrior tribe. But when rafts with refugees break the barrier around her Themyscira, Diana defies her tribe to save and bring them to safety. But she’s carried away by the sea, finding herself in the modern world.
Stranded in a unfamiliar and dangerous world, away for the first time from her family, traditions and Goddesses, Diana is forced to adapt and learn her place, finding new friends, a found family and discovering the dangers of the modern world. Dangers she’s more than ready to fight against.

I fell in love with the artwork of Leila del Duca and the beautiful and current plot of Laurie Helse Anderson that reivent Wonder Woman’s origin, putting Diana Prince first in a refugee camp and then in the frontline against abuse, sexual violence, children exploitation and refugees’ experiences and rights.

The characterization is brilliant. Diana is the only person who was born on Themyscira, the only one with a birthday and that and other changes (we could call them puberty) separate her from the Amazons. She feels like an outsider and she’s eager to belong and to prove the Amazons she’s like them.
The reader can feel her desire, her wanting to be really part of the Amazons tribe in her own island, to find her place and when she’s, literally, swept away from everything that was familiar to her, Diana is a character able to find her own way, place and strength, to adapt and overcome the difficulties.
She’s surrounded by strong characters, like Steven and Trevor and Henke and Raissa and her friendship with them helps Diana feel with a purpose and a place, above all when she’s involved in the activism. Even if she will never stop looking a way for getting back home, Diana is ready to fight against injustices.

Diana’s journey is intertwined with important social and political issues. Swept away by the sea and living in a refugees camp, Diana is able to see the disastrous conditions people are forced to live in, the injustices against them, the awful sanitary conditions.
When her ability of talk, understand and translate multiple language (thanks to her upbringing in Themyscira) catches the attention of Trevor and Steve (a cute gay couple, both involved in the refugees situation, working at the United Nations), they decide to help her get a Visa and a place to stay in New York with their friend, a Polish immigrant names Henke and her granddaughter Raissa.
Involved in their activism, helping families and children, in New York Diana has to face the reality of homelessness, street harassments and the refugees’ situations and the danger of human greed and evil.

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a wonderful and intense graphic novel about finding one’s strength and place in the world, a found family, love and friendship.

About Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was also short-listed for the United Kingdom’s Carnegie Medal. She was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant contribution to young adult literature. Laurie has also been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. She is a member of RAINN’s National Leadership Council and frequently speaks about sexual violence.

About Leila Del Duca

Leila del Duca is a comic book creator based in Portland, Oregon. Besides drawing Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed, she has drawn Sleepless and Shutter and wrote Afar at Image Comics. Leila has also worked on titles such as The Wicked + The Divine, Scarlet Witch, American Vampire, and The Pantheon Project. During her spare time, she loves to make food, read, dabble in music, and do craft projects, especially during the Portland rainy months. She also loves staring off into space and considers it her favorite pastime.

About DC’s YA Graphic Novels