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theseventhl's review against another edition
5.0
One of the comic previews I got my hands on this year for Free Comic Book Day was Stuff of Legend, and the preview was enough to spur my getting the first trade paperback release in my hot little hands. I’m glad I bothered looking this series up, because it is currently blowing my mind with how quality it is. It is a dark tale of war and rescue in a world run by a shadowy Boogeyman – and the cast is made up of a little boy’s toys come to life. But this isn’t just Toy Story with the veneer stripped off; it’s something much more than that.
Read the rest of my review at Nagareboshi Reviews!
Read the rest of my review at Nagareboshi Reviews!
theseventhl's review against another edition
4.0
Another great volume, has me waiting eagerly for the next one. You can read my complete review of this graphic novel over at my review blog, Nagareboshi Reviews: http://nagareboshi-reviews.blogspot.com/
4saradouglas's review against another edition
2.0
I think I just don't like graphic novels. They're just not long enough for me to care about any of the characters! Kid gets kidnapped in the first couple of pages? What do I care? I don't even know his name. Pretty nice art, though.
fadetojon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
4.5
jrpgirlie's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
saroz162's review against another edition
4.0
I had an idea for a great book when I was a kid; maybe you did, too. It was about the toys in my room coming to life when I wasn't there, having incredible adventures of their own. It's a common fantasy; these days, we'd all recognize it as the starting point of the Toy Story movies. The Stuff of Legend takes that same idea and asks the question I think most kids even acknowledge in their unconscious: "You want it darker?"
The Stuff of Legend makes it very dark indeed, and that's immediately apparent in Charles Paul Wilson III's sketchy, monochromatic art. The little boy who owns these toys isn't just absent from the scene, he's been stolen away by the Boogeyman, and his toys have ventured into the Dark of his closet to save him. It's all played absolutely for real: there's a war against the Boogeyman's forces, and toys die, right away. Sometimes, you find yourself worrying when the next one will be claimed.
My childhood self wouldn't have liked this story; she would have found it frightening and upsetting. She also would have recognized the inherent mythological power it invokes. This isn't a cheap excuse to do "dark Toy Story"; it's a proper quest narrative with high stakes, traitors, and consequences. I would love to see a little more depth to the hero characters - the backstory is frustratingly slight so far - but it may not be absolutely necessary. After all, every reader knows these heroes already. We've known them since we were very small, and saw them as their true selves: not just beanbags, pieces of wood or ceramics, but our protectors.
I'll keep reading the series. It's a little slow to start, but there's a lot of potential and the world is immersive.
The Stuff of Legend makes it very dark indeed, and that's immediately apparent in Charles Paul Wilson III's sketchy, monochromatic art. The little boy who owns these toys isn't just absent from the scene, he's been stolen away by the Boogeyman, and his toys have ventured into the Dark of his closet to save him. It's all played absolutely for real: there's a war against the Boogeyman's forces, and toys die, right away. Sometimes, you find yourself worrying when the next one will be claimed.
My childhood self wouldn't have liked this story; she would have found it frightening and upsetting. She also would have recognized the inherent mythological power it invokes. This isn't a cheap excuse to do "dark Toy Story"; it's a proper quest narrative with high stakes, traitors, and consequences. I would love to see a little more depth to the hero characters - the backstory is frustratingly slight so far - but it may not be absolutely necessary. After all, every reader knows these heroes already. We've known them since we were very small, and saw them as their true selves: not just beanbags, pieces of wood or ceramics, but our protectors.
I'll keep reading the series. It's a little slow to start, but there's a lot of potential and the world is immersive.
jennyoung75's review against another edition
5.0
OMG! This is wonderful. I love the dialog, the art, the story. Everything about this graphic novel was appealing. I must own a copy!!
not_nosferatu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
weeksc07's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shane_tiernan's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this might be too "cutesy" for me, but it ended up being pretty dark, so I liked it a lot. I wish the art would have been in color throughout, I really love the cover art. I read a collection that had book 1 and book 2 it and it seemed to stay just as entertaining all the way through. Now I just have to find book 3.