Carly Usdin

*heart-eyes emoji*

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley.)

After losing her basketball scholarship at state, Charlie Bravo (yes, she's heard that one before) is a new transfer at the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics ("where everything is open to interpretation!"). Even though she's vowed to steer clear of team sports, her stubbornness is no match for Olivia, an adorably plucky overachiever who managed to build a women's basketball league, show more herself, from scratch. The only thing standing in Liv's way is Charlie, by which I mean that the Avant-Guards are short just one player, and Liv has decided that Charlie is that woman.

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It doesn't hurt that Charlie is H-O-T and Liv would like nothing more than to mash their faces together in a very non-platonic way.

Sports are not normally my thing, but I do love a) intrepid heroines; b) storylines that celebrate female friendship and elevate it over rivalry; c) worlds populated by diverse peoples, especially when some of them are queer women of color; d) f/f romances; and e) black girl magic. The Avant-Guards has all of the above, in spades, as well as hoop-shooting, curvaceous witches; an on-campus coven; a pretty sexy nonbinary character named Jay; and bucket of rainbow confetti.

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This is the sweetest, most adorable and wholesome book I've read in quite some time, and I mean that in the best way possible. The Avant-Guards is literally brimming with heart emojis. And the art is just perfect, cute and so very complementary to the story and characters. (You might say it's an, erm, slam dunk.) Every. Single. Panel. saw me ooh-ing, ahh-ing, and sqee-ing in delight. (And, save for the doggos, I am not the squee-ing type.)

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And this was all before the impromptu dog adoption event at half-time in the inaugural game! If I wasn't already I goner by then.

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(3.5)

Ahh, I so wish I loved this more!! It's so diverse without even having to try, the '90's setting is colorful & fun, and all the main characters are lovable. I think maybe this first volume will fall a little bit into a sort of prologue for the rest of the story?

When Chris joins the local record store, Vinyl Mayhem, she hopes her life will get some sort of purpose or direction. She's disappointed when nothing is mysteriously mapped in front of her, until bands start disappearing, show more including Chris's favorite singer, Rosie Riot. It's then Chris discovers her coworkers at Vinyl Mayhem have a secret: they're part of an all-girl fight club who battle crime, and Chris is their newest member!

The Good:
That! Art!!
I think this is one of my favorite art styles for any graphic novel ... possibly ever. Every expression is so nuanced and instantly readable. Every frame is finished, and nothing is ever sketchy or unfinished. Polished, distinct, and relatable. I'm in love with the art.

The representation!
I don't think I've ever seen in any book (graphic novel or otherwise) not specifically about or starring trans woman actually say they want to fight FOR trans women and fight AGAINS transphobia! I got tears in my eyes and then took a snapshot of the page to send to my friends. Plus the main character is gay/bi/pan, and another one of the main characters is as well. There's same-sex parents, characters of color, and the main character admits she struggles with anxiety.

Plus, the graphic novel doesn't slap you with its representation, but introduces everything so naturally, so organically, that it's like ... you know, real life, lmao. We definitely need more novels and graphic novels that have representation like this.

The protagonist.
I love Chris. She's just how I felt as a high-schooler (and a college student, I'll be honest). Awkward, bumbling -- and later in college -- crushing on girls and not knowing how to deal with it. She was the perfect character to offset everyone else's confidence.

The Bad:
What keeps me from unabashedly loving this is the villain and the pacing.

I just don't understand the villain at all. "I want music to be boring, so I'm going to brainwash bands to remove the meaning of their music." That's his motive? It doesn't make sense! How can that drive a plot? Why ... would someone want that? Especially when he has enough money from his record/music production company (the characters say that specifically)? Because I just can't get past this, I can't get into the plot. It doesn't work for me.

The pacing is great until the last issue. Things then speed up so fast, the climax is over before I even realize it had started. I had to reread it a couple times to actually try to absorb it. Then there's some foreshadowing for later issues/volumes, and it's that foreshadowing that makes me think ... was this volume some kind of prologue?

I almost hope it was! So with that hope, I'll continue reading, because there's so much I love about this. show less

Teen-aged Chris is working at a local record shop and is enamored of her new coworkers, especially pretty Maggie. But it seems like her fellow coworkers are leaving her out of something when they close for the evening and don't need her to stick around with them. When the lead singer of a favorite band disappears right before a live performance, Chris is pulled into the inner circle and discovers the record shop employees are also secret vigilantes determined to find the missing vocalist.

I show more was really excited for this book based on the description. The characters and artwork were both appealing. The story itself was pretty interesting as well, but it seemed like this book ended just as it was getting started. Presumably, there will be more in the series, but I like when comics at least attempt to wrap up a storyline within one volume. show less

Charlie is a transfer at the Georgia O'Keefe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics. Liv and her friends recruit Charlie to be on the school's first basketball team in a new college division ("NCAAA Div IV"). Charlie is hesitant, given her past in the sport but ultimately gives in. The team is free-wheelingly diverse: gay, bi, non-binary, shades of brown, even a witch. Entertaining and affirming reading for the 21st century teen.