Michael Moreci

I LOVED this! It has all the stuff I wanted: a shocking and brutal opening, a cast of developed and sympathetic characters, an ancestral home overlooking a dangerous bog land, an ancient family trauma/curse that plagues future generations, and a whole mess of ghosts and creeps

I loved the motif of how the past (ghosts, memories, trauma, etc) is restless, cyclical, and always trying to pull you back. The art is bold and beautiful (swipe to see some poorly photographed examples), and this is a show more great example of text and images working together, creating a cycle of building suspense and shocking release. Lots of Hill House, Harrow County, Conjuring, and American Horror Story vibes. And like I said earlier, lots of creepy moments (though the beast at the center of it all is absolutely terrifying) show less

The Night Circus meets Romeo and Juliet, in the YA DC 'verse.

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

DC's new line of YA and middle-grade graphic novels provide an excellent entry point into the publisher's extensive catalog, and The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Graphic Novel is no exception. I love comic books, but mostly stick to newer series/those based on other media I already love (think: Pretty Deadly / Firefly), since DC and Marvel's decades-long show more history can be intimidating. (Where to start!?) Luckily, these are standalone stories that don't require a whole lot of knowledge about the characters going in.

Here, Dick Grayson - the Robin to Bruce Wayne's Batman - is a teenager living in modern day America. In keeping with the character's original backstory, Dick comes from a family of acrobats; along with his parents, the Flying Graysons spend their summers traveling and performing with Haly's Circus. Unlike the original incarnation, his parents are not mowed down by the mafia.

Rather, Dick is feeling somewhat alienated: bored by days that seem to blend into one another; unchallenged by the Flying Graysons' predictable routine; and longing for a "normal" childhood. As if that's not enough, the very fate of the circus rests on the Graysons' (admittedly well-toned) shoulders: the circus is hemorrhaging customers, most notably to The Lost Carnival, a decadent affair that somewhat mysteriously threw down its stakes right across the way from Haly's, seemingly overnight.

http://www.easyvegan.info/img/the-lost-carnival-01.jpg

As tensions rise between the competing groups of carnies, Dick finds himself caught in the middle, torn between his family and the enthralling Luciana. Unlike his BFF Willow's magic, Luciana's powers seem to be the real (read: supernatural) deal: when her uncle calls forth menacing, Swamp Thing-like creatures, it's up to Luciana to prevent them from escaping. The deeper Dick and Willow dive into the world of The Lost Carnival, the more bizarre things get. Can teenage love really conquer all? (Spoiler alert: No. No, it can't.)

This is a really fun and surprisingly sweet story that's an intoxicating blend of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, Romeo and Juliet, and the DC 'verse, with a YA spin. Even though the plot proved somewhat predictable, it's still a fun ride. Dick is interesting enough, but it's the supporting characters that really captured my imagination: Luciana, Willow, Quinn, and the employees at The Lost Carnival. And the carnival itself, naturally, which is all kind of magical and mystifying.

I devoured an ARC, so I'm not entirely sure what the finished art will look like - but what I saw was lovely indeed. The colors mostly alternate between a moody blue and glitzy gold-ish, occasionally coming together for that extra pop. Dick is a cutie, and the rep here is great. (You've got to love that there are not one, but two families of POC magicians.)

http://www.easyvegan.info/img/the-lost-carnival-05.jpg

http://www.easyvegan.info/2020/05/12/the-lost-carnival-by-michael-moreci/ show less

Heaven's Legions have a special mission department, single-archangel-team responsible for special hits on the opposition. He is not so happy with his role but he understands that he is created to execute them and lets admit, there is something in bringing violence to evil-doers.

So he moves in and out executing orders coming from the command because hey, people they point at ... there is reason for their quick demise (right?). But soon he will find himself in the situation he did not expect show more and in cross-fire from unexpected direction.

Very interesting story and introduction to this new universe. Art is gorgeous, I especially like when comic art does not deviate from the cover art. I hope they keep the quality presented here throughout the story arc.

Highly recommended to all action fans. show less

My favourite issue of the series so far (and knowing what is coming, probably my favourite for a long time to come). It really captures the essence of Dick. The art is great, the relationships between Dick, Damian & Roy are brilliant.

I wish this creative pairing has been given the run instead of Percy. It could have taken the series in a totally different direction.

NB I own both the standard and variant cover in paper issue.