Warriors: Graystripe's Adventure

The Kiddo picked this one out this past summer at Barnes & Noble in Manchester NH. We've read two Warriors novels in prose form. This is our first time trying out the manga version.

Title: Warriors: Graystripe's Adventure
Date: 2008
Publisher: Tokyopop / Harper Collins Childrens
Writer: Dan Jolley, Erin Hunter
Artist: James L. Barry
Colorist: James L. Barry
Letterer: Mike Estacio, Lucas Rivera, John Hunt
Editor: Lillian Diaz-Przybyl

Originally published as three b/w manga volumes, this full-color collection tells the complete story of Graystripe's capture by the "twolegs", his life as a "kittypet", and his romance with Millie, who makes the decision to join in his attempt to escape back to his beloved Thunderclan.

Erin Hunter's world of feral cats is fun, and it has a an interesting level of depth, especially around the mythology the cats have developed, and those mythological elements play an important role in this epic journey.

There are plenty of encounters and dangers along the way, and the romantic elements between Millie and Graystripe are handled with only the occasional slip too deep into romantic trope territory.

The real strength of the story is Graystripe's internal conflict as he battles his doubts and fears that his time living with humans has somehow altered him so much that he may not be able to regain his warrior nature.

This conflict takes center stage as he is forced to decide whether he can possibly compromise his beliefs that all contact with anything to do with humans must be avoided.

This is an excellent heroic journey with character who experience many stumbles, but find a way to follow their quest to its end.

James L. Barry's artwork is excellent, and the vivid use of color brings the story to life in ways that weren't possible in the black-and-white manga version.

Lovely book and an engaging and satisfying story.

Rating: 9/10

Understanding Comics

From the school library.

Title: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Publisher: Harper Collins
Date: 1994
Writer: Scott McCloud
Artist: Scott McCloud
Letterer: Bob Lappan
Editor: Mark Martin

This is another one of those books that I have been familiar with for many years, and only just got around to reading. I had high expectations going in based on all I head heard about it, and the book managed to exceed those expectations.

As someone who has read comics since I could read, and someone who has been involved in comics fandom (at various times as a fan, a creator, a retailer, a collector, and a reviewer) since I was a teenager, I was impressed about how much this book got me thinking about comics in new and different ways.

And as someone without any formal art education, I was equally impressed by the conversational flow and accessibility of Scott McCloud's writing style.

Understanding Comics puts comics into the context of not only the history of art, but the history of communication. It examines the ways in which we perceive images, symbols, and storytelling, while delighting with a feast of visuals and references to classic comics from all across the genre.

This is a great introduction to comics for someone wondering what it is all about, and it's even better reading for someone acquainted with the comics medium.

Rating: 9/10