Reviews

G-Man Volume 1: Learning to Fly by Chris Giarrusso

wrentheblurry's review against another edition

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3.0

This is a compilation of the initial comic stories about how G-Man and his brother, Great Man, get super strength and the ability to fly. Intermingled between sections are some comic bits, such as cartoons 'drawn' by the main characters. I did enjoy seeing the Savage Dragon from the Image comic universe; I used to collect a lot of Image comics when they started back in the '90s.

I liked the artwork quite a bit. Nice, clean line drawings with bold, colorful inkwork. It's very appealing visually, and that's what drew me in. Still, while I often laugh at things meant to get a young kid or middle schooler to chuckle, the humor in G-Man didn't do it for me. The storyline was also just okay for me.

My 7th grade son that loves graphic novels didn't even want to read this one (it looked too silly), so I can't tell if it's just me and my age that made things less-than-funny for me. Still, I'm guessing that this will go over well with the younger set, especially fans of graphic novels/comics and kids as superheroes.

blakemp's review against another edition

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5.0

Wonderful, fantastic comedy about kid superheroes. Giarrusso's goofy sense of humor makes every page of this book sharp, funny, and a wonder to behold. This is a truly rare comic -- it'll be just as funny for the adults as it will for the kids. If you miss Giarrusso's work on the Mini-Marvels, you need to pick this up.

colleenaf's review against another edition

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How don’t more people know about this book?! From the creator of Mini-Marvels (which I LOVE). Crazy funny, and surprisingly realistic portrayal of what it’s like to not exactly get along with your sibling...well, plus a lot more super powers. My fav: The comics drawn by the characters themselves, scenes from two points of view. The “Stop Hitting Yourself!” one in particular is genius! (Strip #3 on this page: http://www.chrisgcomics.com/mbib.html)

beecheralyson's review

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4.0

I meant Chris Giarrusso at ALA and was wondering why I had not heard of his work prior to now. I picked up this one and found I really enjoyed the longer story and the single strips by the characters. The comic bits are more like reading a series of comic strips and though they were fun, I found myself wanting more of the longer story. Definitely will look for more of them.

llane84's review

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3.0

A cute story that I think the younger audiences will enjoy and maybe relate to. A good start if you're looking to get children to read graphic novels.

corncobwebs's review against another edition

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The G Family lives in a town where superheroes are the norm - kind of like the Incredibles. Mom and Dad don't seem to have any super powers, but brothers David and Mikey use the family's magic blanket to help them fly. Flying seems awesome at first, but awesome things don't come without their drawbacks. David and Mikey get into quite a few pickles while trying out their newfound ability, much to the reader's amusement. There's also a healthy dose of sibling conflict, which will also have readers laughing. There are a couple of longer stories broken up by shorter one-page "Comic Bits" as well as "Mean Brother, Idiot Brother" comics. It was a nice balance - quite likely to keep kids interested, I think.

So funny! I especially loved the part about the evil Christmas tree stealing the car, and then using it to fly to the North Pole to get a job with Santa. He talked like Cookie Monster, which totally won me over. If you you're a comics person and need any more reasons to read this book, let me just tell you that I was literally "lol-ing" and slapping the table during certain parts. It was one of those books that kept making me want to show other people the funny parts, which, I think, is the sign of a successful comic! Highly recommended!

theartolater's review

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5.0

A super-fun, very cute middle grade gateway book into the world of superheroes. This is more an omnibus-style book than anything, with two longer-form stories and a pile of small two-page tales about a young boy who gets superpowers and his superhero friends.

It's really a throwback to when I remember getting Richie Rich and Lil' Devil comics when I was younger, with goofy 3rd grade humor and slapstick comedic violence with massive guns and massive heroes/villains to go with it. I probably read the entire thing with a massive smile on my face, and I was actually pretty sad when it was over. Volume 2 can't come soon enough.

Great for anyone who likes superheroes. Great for anyone who knows kids who love superheroes. Great for anyone.

frankisib's review against another edition

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3.0

Good superhero graphic novel--best for probably grades 4-6.
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