Art Baltazar, Franco, and Chris Giarrusso return to bring you more adventures of Encounter, his canine pal Barko and best friend/part-time manager Kayla. Now there appears to be a new member of the Encounter team- the armored Champion!
But just who is this mysterious new superhero? Is he friend or foe? Kayla seems warm and willing to add Champion to the Encounter squad. But Barko has his doubts. With more super villains popping up throughout the city looking for Encounter's power orbs, just who is behind this latest round of attempts to steal our alien hero's source of energy?
I enjoyed a majority of this new series. Chris Giarrusso's artwork took a quantum leap. I've always been a fan of his stuff (G-Man, Mini Marvels). But the pin-up sized images of the new villains in this miniseries was off the chain amazing! I am in awe of the Deconstructinator! He was drawn so brilliantly!
I also really like Franco's very fun shorts about the adventures of Chewy, Barko's anthropomorphic chew toy. For being a squeaky toy, Chewy sure does have a lot of arch-enemies. But what will these fiends do when Chewy fuses with Encounter's new vacuum cleaner?
But when it came to the ending, I hated it! I am not going to spoil it. But I am quite afraid that there might not be a volume 3 of this series. I hope that's not true! Franco, Baltazar and Giarrusso-please say that it's not so!
Lots of fun in the style of Itty Bitty Hellboy or Tiny Titans. But I was disappointed with the ending! I'm just not ready to say goodbye to this awesome group of characters!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.
I reviewed the first issue a while back as part of one of my Family Comic Friday columns. While I enjoyed that book, I felt that should I ever get my hands on the collected edition, I would review this separately as I didn't want to take away from reviewing another all-ages book. But since then, I have started do Family Comic Friday Extras. So here goes...
Encounter, Volume 1: Out of This World
Written and illustrated by Art Baltazar, Franco & Chris Giarusso
Published by Lion Forge
Pages: 136
Retail: $12.99
Encounter is a shape-shifting alien who has sought refuge on planet earth. While on our planet, he has made it his mission to protect several mysterious pods that bear the same green polka dots that he does. In order to earn money, Encounter poses as a baker. But because of those darn dots he bears, he must turn his bakery into an Encounter themed shop. You can't expect Encounter to give up his secret identity, now can you?
It's not easy being a super hero. Especially now, as a series of villains have come to town demanding those pods. It will take all the help from his super powered sidekick, Barko and the neighboring owner of the local comic book store and his niece to help keep those orbs from the hands of the baddies!
I love Art Baltazar and Franco (Tiny Titans)! I love Chris Giarusso (G-Man)! Having all 3 working on a comic book together is all-ages gold!
Their art style is timeless. Their sense of humor is steeped in comic book lore. And all three creators just want to create fun comics for the whole family to enjoy!
This volume covers the first 5 issues of Encounter. There's a volume 2 that just came out in March that covers issues 6-10. I'm really hoping there will be more after that. But it's been about 6 months since the last issue debuted. I'm not really sure what the delay is. In fact, there may not be a delay at all and issue #10 was the last we'll see of Encounter and friends.
I hope that is not the case; but it's real possibility.
Encounter has something for the whole family. The main features have bigger words and more complex plots for those aged 8-12. The secondary tales are simplified for readers 4-7. The villains are zany. The townsfolk are goofy. And every once in a while you have to do a double take because the in-jokes are really surreal. But this is wholesome stuff that will make parents and guardians very happy!
Encounter, Volume 1: Out of This World debuted in print and digital formats on October 2, 2018.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
And be sure to be on the lookout for my regular FCF column later this afternoon!
As you probably know, February is Black History Month. With the occasion, I choose a book that is part traditional children’s book and part graphic novel. This week’s Family Comic Friday looks at Fast Enough: Bessie Stringfield’s First Ride. It’s a partially fictionalized account of the childhood struggles of the first black woman to ride solo on a motorcycle across the United States.
Fast Enough: Bessie Stringfield’s First Ride
Written and Illustrated by Joel Christian Gill
Published by Lion Forge
Pages: 40
Retail Price: $17.99
Before I get into a synopsis for Fast Enough, I want to explain how this book is both a children’s book and a graphic novel. Children’s books tend to have one picture per page with a few sentences on the page describing the action. Graphic novels have what is known as sequential art. Here, You might see someone on the left of the page picking up a glass of milk. But the time the reader gets to the bottom right of the page, that person has consumed the milk and washed the glass through a number of panels or pictures showing the progression of the action.
Fast Enough has a mix of both styles of pages. Also, this book has all of the characters speaking with word balloons much in the style you see in a comic. As the age range recommended for this book is preschool to grade 3, you might say that this book is a primer into comics and graphic novels for young readers; as well as their parents and guardians.
This book is about transportation pioneer Bessie Stringfield when she was a young girl. The other boys in her town wouldn’t let her race bicycles with them. They called her too young, too slow, and too much of a ‘girl.’ But Bessie’s determination helps her to ride a bike and possibly even beat those boys by being ‘fast enough.’
Fast Enough not only has an important message about race and gender but it also seeks to educate more about the life of Stringfield when she grew up. The last 4-6 pages is filled with historical information about the accomplishments and firsts Stringfield held in the world of motorcycle enthusiasm. While I found those pages very informative, these are the most difficult pages for a youngster to follow alone.
The type set of the historical facts pages is 2-3 times smaller than in the main story. Plus, there’s some pretty big words for a preschooler here. Also, the concept of racism explained in this section will most definitely require some explanation and perhaps some uncomfortable (but manageable) Q&A sessions.
If you are familiar with my rating and reviewing of a Family Comic Friday offering, I do not judge a book on concepts explored and examined. I base my rating on the story structure, editing and artwork; all of which in this book was superb. But I do feel that adults should know of any controversial or perhaps age inappropriate sections of these books I cover. It is up to Parents to decide what is appropriate for their wards to read and what’s not.
Fast Enough dives a little into religion. Bessie’s mother has her pray to ‘the man upstairs’ for guidance on how to deal with the boys in town her won’t let her race them. The fact section also talks about Bessie’s Catholic upbringing. If religion is a bit of a caveat in your family, then this book might not be right for you.
I really enjoyed Joel Christian Gill’s look at a pioneering woman of color. It was a interesting change of pace for myself and the types of graphic novels and comics I review for this section. This book has the potential to influence and educate a lot of young hearts and minds of any race, color or gender. Countless women and African Americans and others have been inspired by Stringfield’s courage and sense of adventure. Adults, just make sure to take the journey with the young reader in your life when it comes to this work, as your guidance may help to foster the next generation of Bessies!
Fast Enough: Bessie Stringfield’s First Ride debuted in print and digital platforms on February 5th, 2019.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
