This is a tough book to give a fair review since as a Cybils nominee I've had to jump in with book 8. There is a lot going on, a back story I have no idea about, but what I can tell is that this steampunk comic is one I want to start from the beginning and read. The art is bright, humourous, with over dramatic facial expressions and very buxom women. While I had no idea of the whole general plot, even with the quick "The Story So Far" write up at the front of the book, I did grasp the mini plot of this volume in particular and thought it was a splendidly unique world of an heiress trying to reclaim her castle, which is alive, in a world full of living machines and flying airships. I plan on starting with book 1 and will re-read this and probably re-review it when I get to it in it's chronological order. Beautiful artwork and a tempting glimpse into an intriguing series that I most certainly will be reading. ( )

Gorgeous artwork and hypnotic storytelling. I'm particularly in love with the final panel and my custom sketch of Von Pinn.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic...

Agatha Heterodyne is struggling with the legacy of her family castle, which has a mind of its own (or several minds, as it turns out); meanwhile Gilgamesh Wulfenbach is trying to break into the castle and rescue her, against the wishes of his father the baron. The Foglio art style is distinctive (and a bit of googling revealed why I thought it looked familiar); the plotting and scrioting decent enough. It's a fun romp, but difficult to appreciate without having read the first seven volumes. Unlike the other Hugo nominees this hasn't yet been published in a single edition, so you have to read it off the website; no doubt the eventual dead trees version will have some explanatory front matter. ( )