James Kochalka

Robots pollute and intrude on monkey territory and then declare genocidal war, going full Dalek with cries to exterminate the monkeys. Many monkeys die, but they don't go down without a fight as many robots are destroyed in turn. And then it veers into Rise of the Planet of the Apes and bleak post-apocalypse territory.

But it all looks like a children's book. Are kids really the intended audience for this dark, violent, and weird crap?

Technically, it’s Sam-I-Am and his reluctant pal, the crotchety Walter Plot, go hiking, but that’s the least of the issues with the Dr. Seuss-branded money grab of a book. I do not blame author James Kolchalka; I’m pretty sure Random House suits saw the opportunity to create an entire series with Sam-I-Am and poor Walter and approached him. Regardless, I believe that, with luck, that idea will die on the vine.

To begin with, who is the audience for this graphic novel? The usual Dr. show more Seuss crowd is too young to tackle a nearly 100-page chapter book. Those old enough to read this will be repulsed by something they’ll see as babyish. The only market I see for this incredibly predictable book is for childless aunts and uncles grabbing last-minute gifts for their nieces and nephews. And probably not many of them.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Random House Children and Random House Graphic in exchange for an honest review. show less

Review not final until hard copy is reviewed

When trouble is near and there is stuff to fear, who will we turn to, but the Glorkian Warrior and his might backpack of justice! The heroes of the Galaxyyyy! But what’s this? Buster Glark, the most villanious rival in the corps has come to steal your glory and brains and make fun of you? Oh my, what will you do now? Will you and your backpack seek justice for all? Or will an alien attempt to suck out your brains? Or both?? Oh my!

If you haven't show more heard of James Kochalka before, you really are missing out. His previous books have all been published by TopShelf and during that time period he's won an Eisner award, multiple Ignatz awards, and is Vermont's first ever Cartoonist Laureate. And while he hasn't always been my favorite writer/artist (he does get a bit goofy) he really, really does understand the sense of humor that a young kid has. His Dragon Puncher books from Top Shelf, are whimsical and funny and incorporate pictures of himself, his children, and his cats into them. And the Glorkian Warrior is of the same mold.

Bright, cheerful, colorful, and a laugh a page at the quest that the Warrior takes and the weird adventures he has. I mean seriously how can you not laugh at a yellow and pink space caterpillar? The answer: you can’t. And if you don’t please make sure you don’t infect anyone else with your zombie adult virus. The colors are bright and cheerful, and the characters are entertaining to watch as they float about on the page in space dealing with caterpillars and brain sucking aliens (which I think must have gotten loose from the pages of this book...or maybe caught? Hopefully caught.)

While James's writing style never takes itself too seriously, there is an excellent and well paced story in the books. In this one it feels like we're watching a master improv player at work as he takes suggestions from the audience on what the Glorkian Warrior should do next. It just makes for an interesting and enjoyable read.

While this is not going to be a book for everyone, especially if you don't like a goofy, weird sense of humor, it is one that I think a number of other folks will enjoy. I give the book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for young readers and young at heart readers alike.

ARC provided by NetGalley show less

This was a lot of fun. The author’s cat stars as the hero, his son is the lovable sidekick, and the author appears as the villainous dragon. This is cute, strange, and quirky. It’s fast-paced and bright, and it seems reminiscent of children’s imaginative play, which I’m sure is the point. I think kids would enjoy this, and I think it would also be fun for parents and other grownups who are used to playing with children.