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geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
'The Case of the Team Spirit (Bad Machinery #1) by John Allison brings us another story from the group of school kids living in Tackleford, England. It's another winner in the series.
A new football stadium is being built in town and the mysteries abound. Shauna, Charlotte, and Mildred want to help an old lady they've nicknamed Mrs. Biscuits to keep her house. The stadium people want to tear it down and she just wants to be left alone.
Meanwhile, the local football team seems to be victim of some freak accidents and Jack, Linton, and Sonny think there might be a curse involved. Of course, this being Tackleford, there is usually something supernatural involved.
There are also lots of laughs as these school kids are full of snarkiness. There is an incident with a bully that steals a coat that is pretty hilarious, and I found lots to like in this volume. There is a glossary of terms in the back for non-British readers not familiar with some of the slang. There are also a series of newspaper articles about the history of the Tackleford sports team. I enjoyed this as much as the other volumes in the series I've read.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
A new football stadium is being built in town and the mysteries abound. Shauna, Charlotte, and Mildred want to help an old lady they've nicknamed Mrs. Biscuits to keep her house. The stadium people want to tear it down and she just wants to be left alone.
Meanwhile, the local football team seems to be victim of some freak accidents and Jack, Linton, and Sonny think there might be a curse involved. Of course, this being Tackleford, there is usually something supernatural involved.
There are also lots of laughs as these school kids are full of snarkiness. There is an incident with a bully that steals a coat that is pretty hilarious, and I found lots to like in this volume. There is a glossary of terms in the back for non-British readers not familiar with some of the slang. There are also a series of newspaper articles about the history of the Tackleford sports team. I enjoyed this as much as the other volumes in the series I've read.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
I came to love this more as I got to know the characters and the format. I'll definitely continue with this series. Best for upper elem or lower middle school.
mehitabels's review against another edition
4.0
ARGH!
Love my library, but when they only have the first in a series . . .
Especially one that is hilariously adorable, like this one.
Love my library, but when they only have the first in a series . . .
Especially one that is hilariously adorable, like this one.
glowbird's review against another edition
4.0
Fun surprise! Checked this out b/c it was a Free Comic Book Day selection this year. Definitely a great book for tweens. The kids seem very real and kid-like. The world they inhabit is both realistic and weird.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
3.0
I think this is one case where being a daily comic actually hurt the overall story.
I like a lot of things about this book - the illustrations are kinda funky, and well colored; the characters are at least a touch out of the box; the setting is not my normal world; the magic realism qualities are neat.
But I found myself looking for the punch line at the end of every page (and finding it, then being disappointed). There was a fair amount of lingo I didn't get, too.
Good, fine, but ya know - I want more.
I like a lot of things about this book - the illustrations are kinda funky, and well colored; the characters are at least a touch out of the box; the setting is not my normal world; the magic realism qualities are neat.
But I found myself looking for the punch line at the end of every page (and finding it, then being disappointed). There was a fair amount of lingo I didn't get, too.
Good, fine, but ya know - I want more.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
3.0
Before you read this, don't be the idiot that I am. Things felt a little disjointed at first, and when I looked into it I figured out this is a webcomic that got bookified. So each page is its own standalone comic. Yeah, they contribute to a larger whole quite nicely, but it's meant to be read as a regular serial in its original form.
Like I said, don't be the idiot that I am.
This would be a good PSA.
Hi. I'm an idiot. And I'm here to tell you that Don't Be An Idiot Like Me. Don't believe me? What if I told you that I frequently run to Target for a specific item and leave with things like wooden spoons and zebra duct tape and WITHOUT the one item I actually needed? What if I told you that a dedication to a new pair of sweatpants with a hole in the pocket the size of my fist has caused me to do what I call the Cold Keys Dance at least a dozen times, a dance which is the series of hip and thigh movements a person makes when he puts a cold set of keys in his pocket and then feels the rush of them down his bare thigh? What if I told you that I've been using an iPod with a severely cracked screen for about a year and that the screen became cracked after I ran it over with my own car on accident? What if I told you that a few weeks ago I spilled almost an entire box of Mike&Ikes under a dryer at the laundromat and was convinced I could smell a cooked fruitiness in my washed clothes after they dried and the dryer heated up the candy?
Kay? So don't be like me. Don't be an idiot.
Also, here's a favorite from Bad Machinery, which is available online.
http://scarygoround.com/index.php?date=20091019
Like I said, don't be the idiot that I am.
This would be a good PSA.
Hi. I'm an idiot. And I'm here to tell you that Don't Be An Idiot Like Me. Don't believe me? What if I told you that I frequently run to Target for a specific item and leave with things like wooden spoons and zebra duct tape and WITHOUT the one item I actually needed? What if I told you that a dedication to a new pair of sweatpants with a hole in the pocket the size of my fist has caused me to do what I call the Cold Keys Dance at least a dozen times, a dance which is the series of hip and thigh movements a person makes when he puts a cold set of keys in his pocket and then feels the rush of them down his bare thigh? What if I told you that I've been using an iPod with a severely cracked screen for about a year and that the screen became cracked after I ran it over with my own car on accident? What if I told you that a few weeks ago I spilled almost an entire box of Mike&Ikes under a dryer at the laundromat and was convinced I could smell a cooked fruitiness in my washed clothes after they dried and the dryer heated up the candy?
Kay? So don't be like me. Don't be an idiot.
Also, here's a favorite from Bad Machinery, which is available online.
http://scarygoround.com/index.php?date=20091019
annelisegordon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
franceswilde95's review against another edition
3.0
Really enjoyed this first dive into Bad Machinery, defo need to read more in the series to engage with the characters though. Very nostalgic & very high school kinda British.
sarahdenn27's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the British humor! Not my favorite, though. I'm realizing I prefer Marvel comics and more fantasy stuff. Found this a bit confusing and hard to keep all the character straight.
opticflow's review against another edition
3.0
Occasionally hilarious but overall works better as a serial. Novel length plot arc is too thin. I love the art style. The glossy pages are a nice update from the web but massive size of the book is unwieldy!