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Title: The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars part one
Writer: Bryan Konietzko
Artist: Irene Koh
Audience: Middle Grade & up

If you are or have Avatar: the Last Airbender/Legend of Korra fans at your library this is a must add to the collection! This isn’t a book that can be easily jumped into without watching The Legend of Korra because it picks up right where the Nickelodeon cartoon ended with our protagonist Korra and her best friend/girlfriend Asami Sato vacationing in the Spirit World. It flows really well from the season three finale because Bryan Konietzko also co-created and wrote The Legend of Korra animated series. And a lot of crazy stuff happened in S3 so Turf Wars has so much to work with plotwise. This is part one of a three part mini-series, and hopefully, there will be more Korra stories to follow (fingers crossed).

One of the best things about this comic is the first fifteen pages are centered on Korra and Asami’s relationship. S3 ended with the two young women expressing their love for each other (they’re both bisexual yay!) and walking off hand in hand into the Spirit portal in Republic City. This is all so new to them, and not having any of the other ensemble cast in here lets them just try to figure it out. That’s quashed a bit as Korra surprises Asami by taking her to see Korra’s parents which results in an awkward yet mostly positive coming out dinner. The plot switches back to Republic City when our heroes return to find a developer has purchased the land in the park and is a jerk. Cut to Mako and Bolin who are in pursuit of some criminals when a gang fight goes too big. It’s so great to have Bolin teamed up with his brother, Mako, again! This introduces us to the main plot that will run thru Turf Wars: a new bad guy is taking over all the Republic City gangs to create a mafia empire.

An aspect I really appreciate in this comic is Vivian Ng’s coloring work. The Spirit World is so vibrant and bright! When we switch to Republic City the tones are more muted which works since it’s a city that is in an industrial boom. Irene Koh’s artwork is amazing! The LoK world is an action movie set in a political drama with actual, developed characters with rich subplots running through it. Koh’s line work is reflective of this in that quiet moments she nails character expressions (including Korra’s awkward neck rubbing thing she does when flustered) and her action scenes are quite dynamic. Korra can wield the four elements through varying martial arts moves, and I never doubt which element is being expressed. Same goes for the fight scenes with the other benders. Koh is also making sure there is broader Asian diversity represented with new characters who are Korean and Bangladeshi. I was very excited when I read an interview where she talks about wanting to broaden that out since the Avatar world has only represented Chinese and Japanese culture.

To sum up, if you have Avatar fans in your library this is an automatic selection for your library. It has all the necessary elements in a Legend of Korra story: kick-ass action, a political subplot, well-defined characters, and a great, blossoming romance. It will make a great addition to the LGBT comics section!

Title: Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra
Writer: Kevin Panetta
Artist: Paulina Ganucheau
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Audience: Middle School and up

zodiac

I found out about Zodiac Starforce through Twitter. If you are a comics fan, it pays off to follow the writers and artists you enjoy via social media. Writer and artist Kate Leth (@kateleth) tweeted something to the effect of “if you enjoy magical girl comics then you need to read Zodiac Starforce!” I’m a big Sailor Moon fan and I know a couple kids at my library also enjoy magical girl manga so I knew it would be a big hit. This trade has been circulating in the library since last summer, and I finally got a chance to read it. It did not disappoint.

Zodiac Starforce is reminiscent of Sailor Moon and hit’s all the right feels while taking the magical girl story in a different direction. The team is comprised of four teen girls who have been given superpowers by the goddess Astra. Emma/Gemini is the leader with a sweet sword and can split in two. Savannah/Pisces is the brain of the operation with awesome water powers. Kim/Taurus is the bruiser who can manifest really cool armor. Molly/Ares is the mystical girl who can open portals.

The story opens up with the girls doing the usual teenager stuff. They had disbanded after defeating the evil Cimmeria and bringing peace back to Earth. With no major threat looming, Zodiac Starforce broke up. Of course, they can’t possibly stay apart for long when Emma is infected with a mysterious illness after killing a monster. They have to figure out how to save her, and take down the mean girls in their high school who have been imbued with a dark, malevolent force. Along the way there are fun fight scenes, the introduction of a new lady love interest for Savannah, and the message of friendship as Zodiac Starforce is stronger together than apart.

Panetta does a great job at witty teen dialogue and keeps the plot moving very well. Ganucheau’s art is a delight! Lot’s of clean lines and brightly colored panels. The fashion for the girls both in and out of costume is cute and quirky. I really love Pisces’s snapback hat! And the character designs are fun too! Kim looks like she could easily play on a roller derby team and her bangs always hide her eyes. The end of the book features their ideas and designs for the characters which I really enjoyed. It’s always great to see the writer’s and artist’s creative process. Not only do we get character sketches, but also the first Zodiac Starforce story which looks very different.

My only dislike about this book is there is only one volume. The story works as a stand alone book, but it’s left so that another story arc can easily be added on. I really want more of the Zodiac Starforce girls!