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norassick's review against another edition
4.0
I got a netgalley arc of this and i didn't know what I was getting myself into but watching oscar go through his journey made me feel things. What a baby. kids with superpowers way bigger than them remains the most superior trope. Totally recommended <3
indiekay's review against another edition
3.0
I received this comic as an eARC from Net Galley.
THE ART
The art style in this comic is really interesting - simple, yet very effective, with fantastic understanding of shape and a minimal use of shading. The main character, Oscar, is the most detailed subject in the entire comic, with his intricate hairstyle and layers of clothing, while most other people are often quick simple shapes reminiscent of Moomin. There are also really cool creature designs that Oscar can see around him, which look like smokey/wispy animals and monsters.
Panel work in the comic is excellent, too. In particular, there's great movement and a sense of urgency in the action scenes, and there's some really creative pages of Oscar dancing that were really fun.
THE PLOT
I feel like it's a little difficult to give this comic a full review, as I'm not sure enough has happened in the plot yet to really be able to talk about it in-depth.
Oscar is fleeing home after some sort of accident happened to him, which has given him bright blue eyes and some kind of ice powers, as well as the ability to see smoke creatures/spirits around him. He feels a pull to travel toward a giant wild fire nearby, and is taking multiple buses to get there. Most of this story takes place on buses, bus terminals, and hotels.
While traveling he questions what is happening to him. In the beginning of the story we see him reflect on how Black people are treated in his world, and how white people sometimes react to him with fear and distrust, as well as images of black people with the word MURDERED in bold over them. Then, we see some snip-bits of the incident that gave him his powers, as well as an argument he had with his mother over the fact that she'd read his journal and was angry at him for not disclosing to her that one of his friends is gay.
So there's a lot happening in the story between the racial discrimination Oscar faces, the vague hints toward his sexuality and his fight with his mother over it, the mystery as to how he got his powers and the woman he keeps seeing around, the mystery of what the smoke creatures are, and why he is being drawn towards these fires (and maybe there's a mystery as to what caused the fires too, who knows). And then the book ends with a WTF cliff-hanger.
CRITICISMS
Some of my problems I had with this comic were with the dialogue. It's often a bit stilted and confusing, and often when Oscar was thinking to himself I couldn't understand if he was just talking to himself or if he was hearing a second voice in his head. With a plot as convoluted as this one in, the dialogue often times made things more confusing instead of easy to understand.
I also think the blurb to this comic needs some work. There's a lot of commas in there that don't need to be there, and the way the blurb reads may end up scaring potential reads off.
I wish this comic had just a little bit more editing going on with the dialogue and blurb.
THE ART
The art style in this comic is really interesting - simple, yet very effective, with fantastic understanding of shape and a minimal use of shading. The main character, Oscar, is the most detailed subject in the entire comic, with his intricate hairstyle and layers of clothing, while most other people are often quick simple shapes reminiscent of Moomin. There are also really cool creature designs that Oscar can see around him, which look like smokey/wispy animals and monsters.
Panel work in the comic is excellent, too. In particular, there's great movement and a sense of urgency in the action scenes, and there's some really creative pages of Oscar dancing that were really fun.
THE PLOT
I feel like it's a little difficult to give this comic a full review, as I'm not sure enough has happened in the plot yet to really be able to talk about it in-depth.
Oscar is fleeing home after some sort of accident happened to him, which has given him bright blue eyes and some kind of ice powers, as well as the ability to see smoke creatures/spirits around him. He feels a pull to travel toward a giant wild fire nearby, and is taking multiple buses to get there. Most of this story takes place on buses, bus terminals, and hotels.
While traveling he questions what is happening to him. In the beginning of the story we see him reflect on how Black people are treated in his world, and how white people sometimes react to him with fear and distrust, as well as images of black people with the word MURDERED in bold over them. Then, we see some snip-bits of the incident that gave him his powers, as well as an argument he had with his mother over the fact that she'd read his journal and was angry at him for not disclosing to her that one of his friends is gay.
So there's a lot happening in the story between the racial discrimination Oscar faces, the vague hints toward his sexuality and his fight with his mother over it, the mystery as to how he got his powers and the woman he keeps seeing around, the mystery of what the smoke creatures are, and why he is being drawn towards these fires (and maybe there's a mystery as to what caused the fires too, who knows). And then the book ends with a WTF cliff-hanger.
CRITICISMS
Some of my problems I had with this comic were with the dialogue. It's often a bit stilted and confusing, and often when Oscar was thinking to himself I couldn't understand if he was just talking to himself or if he was hearing a second voice in his head. With a plot as convoluted as this one in, the dialogue often times made things more confusing instead of easy to understand.
I also think the blurb to this comic needs some work. There's a lot of commas in there that don't need to be there, and the way the blurb reads may end up scaring potential reads off.
I wish this comic had just a little bit more editing going on with the dialogue and blurb.
alainasanders's review
2.0
There’s not a clear structure to the story, it starts in the middle of it and jumps around a lot. It gets weirdly political at times even though the main storyline isn’t supposed to be about politics. Its a confusing story to try to follow along with, but the art and drawings are really cool!
for parents: there is a one use of fuck so keep that in mind if purchasing for younger readers
coldbrewedpages's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
queenmudds's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
daner's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
nikspandya's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a super emotional and interesting first in series! I’m very curious where it will go considering it ended on a massive cliffhanger. I feel that the serious themes in this story were handled with care. And the illustration style was great!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Police brutality and Homophobia
skylar_cr_wolf's review
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I’ve received this ARC from Netgalley and honestly, this graphic novel was fantastical!
It is very rich on emotions and a story I hope I get to see to continue.
A person named Oscar is on a journey to a wild fire which seems to not be stoppable by humans. And with the strange abilities which have manifested over night, Oscar is also trying to find out why they are there and where they come from.
It was a phenomenal read.
It is very rich on emotions and a story I hope I get to see to continue.
A person named Oscar is on a journey to a wild fire which seems to not be stoppable by humans. And with the strange abilities which have manifested over night, Oscar is also trying to find out why they are there and where they come from.
It was a phenomenal read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Racism, Homophobia, and Death
kingofthehillxl's review against another edition
4.0
In Black Ice, Bradford D Smith, offers a new imaginative take on a classic awakening mystery. He takes you a cross country ride that that promises the answer to a thrilling mystery of how our main character Oscar wakes up on day with powers. While the graphic novel is very imaginative and fun to read, the ending leaves a little to be desired. Without any idea of how far in the narrative this Graphic novel was supposed to take us, the reader is left to ponder when and if any of the questions raised will be answered. While I overall enjoyed the ride, the abundance of space in the pages can leave the reader wanting more at times. The series has a lot of heart and is very easy to read, but now that I am invested, I will expect a lot of answers in the next installment.