Fence, Vol. 1

boom studios is one of my favorite publishers, and this title is doing a great job so far of demonstrating exactly why with its brilliant art, character-driven narrative, lovely paneling, and queer characters as far as the eye can see.

there's even a he/him femme in this, which omg, thank you. someday maybe i'll be femme enough to be comfy using he/him pronouns lmao

I've never read a sports themed manga/graphic novel before, and wasn't sure I'd like this book. Once I was a third of the way through, I couldn't put it down. I loved it. It was great to see such a wide array of racially diverse characters participating in a sport that I've normally only seen being depicted as being a sport of white people. It was also great to see how easily and casually they portrayed the sexualities of the characters. I enjoyed the gender switch whereas the coach of the team was a woman of color and no one made a big deal about it. I most like the character of Bobby. Bobby's gender isn't very clear and I think that is awesome, and the fact that NO ONE brings up that fact is refreshing. I can't wait to see where the show more story takes me in volume 2, and if Nicholas fulfills his fencing dreams. show less

One sentence theme: The fight to belong and make your mark in the world is a challenging pursuit, but doesn’t have to be a solitary one.

Plot summary: Nicholas Cox is a scrappy, but talented fencer hoping to make it in the cutthroat world of competitive fencing. Nicholas wants to prove that he’s worthy of his fencing champion father’s admiration, even though he’s never been a part of Nicholas’ life. He’s got his work cut out for him, as he works to earn a scholarship into a boarding school that will give him the opportunity to test his mettle against the top fencers in the country, including a prodigy and his half brother. It won’t be easy to fit into this posh new school, but he’s got the drive to succeed. As the show more students work to make the team, they will find that working together is just as important.

Personal response: I love the huge focus on inclusive gender identity roles without it being “a thing”. C.S. Pacat promised “something that’s very joyously and unabashedly queer.” These characters are just living their lives, albeit in a high intensity boarding school with elite athletic endeavors to boot. The idea of basing a story around fencing, at first, seems just as silly as basing it around something like curling or knitting, but this is a regal and historied sport that deserves a little modern love.

Curricular connections: This would make a great social studies lesson that could be used as a jumping off point to encourage students to explore an obscure sport. Students could prepare a presentation that explains the sport, its rules, top athletes in the field today, past stars, and the history of the sport. Another avenue would be to compare and contrast life for students in a public school setting vs. those who attend a boarding school. This could be supported with some research into what it was actually like to live in a boarding school, along with possibly connecting via Skype with a boarding school class to work together to discuss the similarities and differences. show less

The first four volumes of the comic Fence, about Nick Cox, a talented but not well-trained high school fencer who wants to compete at a high level. He receives a scholarship to a school where he can fence, but he must make the team to stay on. The first four volumes follow Nick as he first arrives at school, begins practicing with the team, and nurses his rivalry (and friendship?) with elite fencer Seiji. This comic is a delight, with great friendships, lots of queer rep, and neat fencing sequences. I'm looking forward to more of it.

when they said a sports comic they weren't lyin!

i loved the art. the writing had a really good rhythm to it. it was definitely queer or queer-friendly. but i'm a romance bean? ok. i'm a heart on my sleeve bean. the slow burn between the protagonist and antagonist is killin' me rn.

will i survive. i have no idea. will i read the second one? i don't know! (i think i have it on hold at the library right now actually lol.)

i know sports is the name of the game. i know it's a fencing comic. but gimme more romance. pls. im begging u. im dyin out here.

the art tho? spectacular. so clean polished. loved the palette too.

I'm doing a quick catch-up on the few graphic novels I haven't read in the final round of the Goodreads Choice Awards.

Fence is a pretty decent sports story. The characters are solid, diverse, and likable. The story has some real potential, and I'll definitely be coming back for future volumes, but maybe not immediately. Overall, the book reminds me of Haikyu and Yowamushi Pedal, but unlike those fun, decompressed sports stories, this one does not come in big satisfying chunks. For as slowly as this story is unfolding, a slim collection of four single comic issues without a completed arc is very much a disservice.

Fence, Vol. 1 is a cute YA comic that has some queer characters living their lives, but the sports plot is the main focus. Set in a boarding school and focused on the dreams and issues and dramas of the school's fencers, the series so far is about the fencing team try-outs. There are heated rivalries and personal problems to overcome and sports psychology in action.

Fence, Vol. 1 did precisely what a first volume should do - lay out a cast of compelling and likeable characters and provide the action that drives the narrative. I immediately l wanted to read more. The art style suited the sports comic genre.