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bethtabler's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for my open and honest review.
This is a solid midgrade graphic novel. I wanted to like it, the premise was interesting but the execution of character, dialog, and setting was jumpy and spotty. At places, the pacing of the story seemed over-rushed while in others it crawled by. The graphics felt distracting in oversaturated colors that did nothing to further the plot. In the end, there was little in the way of ending of this particular story arc. It ended up not being the comic for me.
This is a solid midgrade graphic novel. I wanted to like it, the premise was interesting but the execution of character, dialog, and setting was jumpy and spotty. At places, the pacing of the story seemed over-rushed while in others it crawled by. The graphics felt distracting in oversaturated colors that did nothing to further the plot. In the end, there was little in the way of ending of this particular story arc. It ended up not being the comic for me.
cfinnigan's review
4.0
The problem here is we join our hero right after she has made a terrible decision. The characters are all established and no one bothers to give you the rundown. It’s a bit disconcerting for a graphic novel with “volume 1” in the title. You’re going to need to catch up. Not the smoothest transition.
Hunted by everyone she is going to reach rock bottom before she gets out of this. I love the writing, the concept, everything. I just wish there was a recap. When you pick up a volume 1 you expect to be at the start of the story.
3.5
Hunted by everyone she is going to reach rock bottom before she gets out of this. I love the writing, the concept, everything. I just wish there was a recap. When you pick up a volume 1 you expect to be at the start of the story.
3.5
marisnini's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
trike's review
2.0
We join our program already in progress. Which is a bit of a problem, because I have no emotional connection to these characters.
At some point back in the 1970s or 1980s, Marvel editor Jim Shooter said, “Every issue is someone’s first issue.” Meaning writers had to figure out a way to succcinctly convey what had gone before while moving the story forward. Sometimes it was a useful but clunky one-page flashback, which eventually evolved into a couple paragraphs that began, “Previously in...” The best ones wove it into the story itself.
None of that happens here. I have no idea who these people are or what abilities they have. The text at the beginning says the Livewire is a “teletechnopath” with “unrestricted access to the digital world.” A character very similar to this was in the late, great superhero TV series Alphas. Gary could hear electronic communications and control electrical devices. (https://youtu.be/V41R4vFvYe8) Except when we meet Livewire, she’s a combination of Magneto and Superman, saving people when two planes collide in mid-air. A story moment that’s never referred to again. I don’t get that.
Eventually we learn that she crashed the entire electrical grid in the US, apparently via an EMP, killing tens of thousands of people when pacemakers quit and planes fell out of the sky. They keep hitting that gong over and over, with no real resolution to it. She keeps saying she was “protecting our kind” and saving her kids, but no one is on her side and we never see these kids.
It really just feels like a muddled version of the excellent Alphas. I don’t know what story comes before this, but this is called volume 1. Not a great jumping-on point, frankly.
At some point back in the 1970s or 1980s, Marvel editor Jim Shooter said, “Every issue is someone’s first issue.” Meaning writers had to figure out a way to succcinctly convey what had gone before while moving the story forward. Sometimes it was a useful but clunky one-page flashback, which eventually evolved into a couple paragraphs that began, “Previously in...” The best ones wove it into the story itself.
None of that happens here. I have no idea who these people are or what abilities they have. The text at the beginning says the Livewire is a “teletechnopath” with “unrestricted access to the digital world.” A character very similar to this was in the late, great superhero TV series Alphas. Gary could hear electronic communications and control electrical devices. (https://youtu.be/V41R4vFvYe8) Except when we meet Livewire, she’s a combination of Magneto and Superman, saving people when two planes collide in mid-air. A story moment that’s never referred to again. I don’t get that.
Eventually we learn that she crashed the entire electrical grid in the US, apparently via an EMP, killing tens of thousands of people when pacemakers quit and planes fell out of the sky. They keep hitting that gong over and over, with no real resolution to it. She keeps saying she was “protecting our kind” and saving her kids, but no one is on her side and we never see these kids.
It really just feels like a muddled version of the excellent Alphas. I don’t know what story comes before this, but this is called volume 1. Not a great jumping-on point, frankly.
carroq's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is book is a solid follow-up to Harbinger Wars 2. As such, it spends a lot of time dealing with Livewire's actions in that book. And I love it for actually dealing with those events and doing so in a way that fits the character. There is some new stuff in this book that deals with Livewire's past as well. I think this is actually a good place for new readers to jump into the character because it addresses both of those aspects without assuming that you know everything about the character.
I really dug the art too. For those that have read Secret Weapons, this is an extension of that miniseries. It brings in many of the same characters and makes good use of them. As much as I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, as a whole it didn't wow me. It spends a lot of time cleaning up a previous story, so it didn't really feel like it's own thing. I'm definitely interested in reading more of Livewire's story though.
This is book is a solid follow-up to Harbinger Wars 2. As such, it spends a lot of time dealing with Livewire's actions in that book. And I love it for actually dealing with those events and doing so in a way that fits the character. There is some new stuff in this book that deals with Livewire's past as well. I think this is actually a good place for new readers to jump into the character because it addresses both of those aspects without assuming that you know everything about the character.
I really dug the art too. For those that have read Secret Weapons, this is an extension of that miniseries. It brings in many of the same characters and makes good use of them. As much as I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, as a whole it didn't wow me. It spends a lot of time cleaning up a previous story, so it didn't really feel like it's own thing. I'm definitely interested in reading more of Livewire's story though.
quirkycatsfatstacks's review
4.0
3 1/2 stars
I received a copy of Livewire Vol. 1 through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Livewire is a new series from Valiant Entertainment. The focus is on a single psiot and her attempt to save her people while making amends for her past. This psiot is none other than Livewire. She’s gone through so much already by the start of this volume, and that isn’t a pattern that’ll be changing anytime soon for her.
Warnings: Livewire comes up against a lot of different foes during the course of this volume. She’s a woman of color, and despite all the good she’s done, the media had no trouble painting her as a terrorist; and people believed it. She’s captured, treated worse than one would ever like to imagine, and eventually forced into an involuntary medical procedure intended to cut her powers. It’s all highly disturbing.
Livewire Vol. 1 was an interesting read, though I’ll confess that I was confused at times. I loved Livewire’s character and determination, even up against all the odds she was facing. She’s a brilliant lead for the series, and I can’t wait to see where they go with this.
I think I must have missed her introduction in another series – or at least that’s how it felt the whole time I was reading. There was backstory that I felt like I was expected to know or understand, and I got confused at a few different points because of this.
I’m more than a little curious about the other psiots that Livewire has been working so hard to protect. There’s such a major world implied during this story, and I honestly can’t wait to see more of it. What I have seen has proven to be intricate and fascinating.
I love that Livewire accepted that she’s done wrong in her past – that in her attempts to save the people she cared about, she forced other people to pay the price. I love that she’s trying to accept and atone for what she’s done. In many ways that makes her more human than the people that are pursuing her. They certainly don’t seem to have that problem.
I’m going to have to look at all of the other series out by Valiant and see if there are any tie ins for this series. I feel like there has to be something, and I desperately want to know what it is. I hope it’s as interesting as I feel like it should be.
It’ll be interesting to see where they go with this for the next volume. There’s a lot of potential here, and I for one can’t wait to see how they use it.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
I received a copy of Livewire Vol. 1 through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Livewire is a new series from Valiant Entertainment. The focus is on a single psiot and her attempt to save her people while making amends for her past. This psiot is none other than Livewire. She’s gone through so much already by the start of this volume, and that isn’t a pattern that’ll be changing anytime soon for her.
Warnings: Livewire comes up against a lot of different foes during the course of this volume. She’s a woman of color, and despite all the good she’s done, the media had no trouble painting her as a terrorist; and people believed it. She’s captured, treated worse than one would ever like to imagine, and eventually forced into an involuntary medical procedure intended to cut her powers. It’s all highly disturbing.
Livewire Vol. 1 was an interesting read, though I’ll confess that I was confused at times. I loved Livewire’s character and determination, even up against all the odds she was facing. She’s a brilliant lead for the series, and I can’t wait to see where they go with this.
I think I must have missed her introduction in another series – or at least that’s how it felt the whole time I was reading. There was backstory that I felt like I was expected to know or understand, and I got confused at a few different points because of this.
I’m more than a little curious about the other psiots that Livewire has been working so hard to protect. There’s such a major world implied during this story, and I honestly can’t wait to see more of it. What I have seen has proven to be intricate and fascinating.
I love that Livewire accepted that she’s done wrong in her past – that in her attempts to save the people she cared about, she forced other people to pay the price. I love that she’s trying to accept and atone for what she’s done. In many ways that makes her more human than the people that are pursuing her. They certainly don’t seem to have that problem.
I’m going to have to look at all of the other series out by Valiant and see if there are any tie ins for this series. I feel like there has to be something, and I desperately want to know what it is. I hope it’s as interesting as I feel like it should be.
It’ll be interesting to see where they go with this for the next volume. There’s a lot of potential here, and I for one can’t wait to see how they use it.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
bluehairedlibrarian's review
2.0
I don't know what came before this book, but you definitely need to find it and read it first. This is all reaction and consequences to something that happens in a totally different book (series?). That means you don't get character development because you're supposed to know who these people are. You get plenty of flashbacks, but it feels disjointed. It felt like I was eavesdropping on a conversation starting in the middle rather than taking part in one from the beginning.
heathershectichideaway's review
5.0
This graphic novel was definitely one that I would read over and over again! I didn't want it to end because I loved getting to know the characters throughout the series. The artwork was very detailed and I couldn't wait to see what the next issue was going to entail.