Calamity Jack, by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale - review

Did you like Rapunzel's Revenge? I liked Rapunzel's Revenge. I voted for it for Best Graphic Novel of 2008 for the Cybils Awards. Was I not supposed to say that? Oops. But there was practically no contest. The life and wit in the dialogue, story, AND art in that book is... well I've been reading graphic novels since 1987 and I will tell you straight, you don't get many that excel on all fronts like Rapunzel's Revenge did.

I didn't get a chance to review it on Pink Me at the time, because I... because... I forget. But I can remember shoving it into people's faces, saying, "Look! That is a FULL-PAGE detailed aerial overview of the landscape where the action is to take place, and this is a book FOR CHILDREN!" Full colors, beautifully printed, and fine-line drawings, together with a long-form story that hangs together beautifully - you don't see that even in graphic novels for grownups unless they're published by Fantagraphics or First Second or some other the prestige, arty house.

And I need to type the words Nathan Hale just so I have an excuse to link to Space Station Nathan.

Imagine my joy when Calamity Jack followed so (relatively) quickly on the heels of Rapunzel's Revenge. Good-looking Jack the Giant Killer is the focus of this story, which starts up soon after the events of the previous book. Jack is bringing Rapunzel back home with him to to Shytown, a big city full of storybook creatures with a modern (though not too modern - more like 19th-century modern, not Shrek-modern) twist. Shytown is in disarray, at war with giant ant creatures, under corporate law by the evil capitalist giant Blunderboar.

Like that. Strap in, folks, because it'll whisk you off your feet. Every page contains a delight, from screaming Brownies who when placated look like sobered-up Irish football fans, to a bone-grinding machine that makes THE most godawful onomatopoeic noise it has ever been my misfortune to read.

I would feel like I was doing wrong if I didn't point out just a few glitchy things - I wear my hair in a braid, and Rapunzel's braids don't look braided, they look twisted. Also, the scale of the giants doesn't seem to remain consistent throughout the book. A third character, a rival for Rapunzel's affections, is not very thoroughly fleshed-out.

But don't let these tiny things keep you from pressing it into the hands of any adventure-loving kid you know. Calamity Jack joins Rapunzel's Revenge as one of the best gol-danged things on the kids' graphic novel shelf.