<i>Malice</i> (review)
2009; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 63; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.0.1256
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Comics and Graphic Narratives
ResumoReviewed by: Malice Kate Quealy-Gainer Wooding, Chris . Malice; illus. by Dan Chernett. Scholastic, 2009 [384p]. ISBN 978-0-545-16043-8 $14.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 6-9 Malice is the name of a hard-to-find comic book, but it's rumored to be much more than that—it's supposedly the realm of Tall Jake, a Freddy Krueger–like character who steals away the teens brave (or stupid) enough to perform the ritual that calls him into this world. When their best friend goes missing after purchasing a copy of the rare comic, Seth and Kady discover that Malice is an all-too-real place, filled with ghoulish entities that suck the youth from teens, strange automatons that stalk the streets, and a group of adults who run the whole evil operation. Though the book opens with a clichéd horror-movie scene and the characterizations aren't particularly deep, these trivialities are forgiven once the world of Malice unfolds. The constant threat of death is palpable as Seth and Kady watch several of their friends fall victim to predators (the time-sucking Chitters and enormous goblin-like Timekeeper are particularly terrifying), and what seems to be a typical horror plot takes several delicious twists as the teens learn more about their surroundings. Wooding's lurid descriptions of the nightmarish realm are heightened by graphic-novel-styled interludes, high-action, sinister episodes in black-and-white panels; though hard-core comic fans drawn by the theme should be prepared for the fact that this is still largely a text novel with illustrative interludes, the dips into graphic-novel format will intrigue readers looking to be introduced to graphic novels. The creative formatting, fast pace, and classic horror elements will surely satisfy any teen who loves a good scare. Copyright © 2009 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Referência(s)