A review by helenareadsbooks
Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney, Robyn Smith and Brie Henderson tells the story of teenage Nubia trying to live a normal life. This is a different Nubia than what we’re used to seeing in the comics—she is younger here and not yet the superpowered Amazon hero and twin sister of Wonder Woman that we know. Which is great, I appreciate the creative team for wanting to tell a different story. We get to see her doing normal teenage things like having fun with her friends, arguing with her mothers, and having a crush. 

But this is also a story that is grounded in the Black Lives Matter movement, one that fully realizes what it is like to be a Black teenager in a society that doesn’t see you as a person. There's a lot of depth and emotion to this story, and the latter half is quite heavy. Nubia is a Black superhero and this graphic novel explores exactly what that means. Nubia’s growth as she learns how to navigate this world and stand up for what’s right is admirable and inspiring. 

I’ve never read such a powerful and impactful story in superhero comics and honestly, it's about damn time we got a story like this. It’s important to note that this graphic novel was created by a trio of Black creatives. More often than not we see white, usually male, comic creators attempting to create stories like this that completely miss their mark and come across as insensitive. So it's a big deal that McKinney, Smith and Henderson created space for a book like Nubia: Real One to exist. It's incredibly well written and the art is wonderful. I think a lot of people will appreciate the care and detail put into the illustrations (especially when it comes to Nubia’s hair!). 

Nubia: Real One is a story that we need and deserve, and hope you pick it up. Please check the content warnings which are stated on the first page of the graphic novel.  
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