Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 1 Review

 

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Orphan wanderer Rainbow is in search in the wild for her sister Jonna who has been missing for a year, only to discover a world with larger-than-life beasts in the first volume of this epic fantasy adventure.

 

My Thoughts: Story/Pacing (5/5) -- The entire plotting reads like a perfect setup to a large-scale saga of the ages, not unlike the beginning entries of Jeff Smith’s masterpiece Bone, a parallel I couldn’t resist drawing since Smith also praised this book on the cover. We’re introduced to a colorful setting that seems to draw heavy inspiration from Asian architecture and tropical scenery over a series of mostly pantomime panels. These pages do an excellent job bringing forward the immersive qualities as parts of the world are revealed throughout the story while leaving out enough mystery behind this universe for us to figure out until the next installment arrives.

Characters (5/5) – Despite the title, I would say Rainbow takes the center stage in screen presence and characterization who is presented as this bright, ambitious adventurer clad in overalls and pink hat with stubby animal ears loosely reminiscent of Finn the Human’s (Adventure Time). Meanwhile, Jonna, who has become a feral wanderer, mostly serves as a cynosure to Rainbow’s perilous quest. This doesn’t diminish Jonna’s character in the slightest, nevertheless, as there are several panels of her alone depicting her resourcefulness and agility which allows her to survive in the wild. There are even hints towards her extraordinary strength which might play an important role in later volumes.

Art (5/5) – It was stunning. The linework, bouncy character designs, and backgrounds all amazed me. The heavily blue to purplish color schemes particularly during the jungle scenes stood out as stylistically unique and was an ideal backdrop for all the exhilarating action scenes.

 

Final Thoughts: Overall, Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters is a quick-moving, short but enjoyable read that seems to be setting itself up for some colossal expectations lore-wise. It’s ideal reading for its middle-grade target audience and has enough high stakes to even thrill older readers.

 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with my first advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.