Flight Explorer, Volume One - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0345503139 ISBN 13: 9780345503138

Publisher: Villard, 2008

Synopsis

The first volume in a new series presents an anthology of comics and graphic short stories that revolve around the theme of flight, including works by noted comic book and graphic novel creators, top animators working at Pixar and other major studios, and new Web cartoonists, including Kean Soo and Kazu Kibuishi.

About this title

About the Author

Kazu Kibuishi was 24 years old and working full-time in the animation industry when he began developing the idea of doing Flight. He began contacting his friends in the animation, comics, and graphic novel world to see if they would want to join the project. He now works from his home studio in Pasadena, California, creating and promoting Flight and his popular young adult comic Daisy Kutter, which was nominated as an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults—the only graphic novel on the list in 2005.

Reviews

Grade 4-8–In this companion book to the Flight series for older readers, the editor succeeds in putting together a remarkable collection that will appeal to a younger audience. Kean Soo's Jellaby, for example, shows the humorous and contemplative moments between a girl and a friendly monster as they experience their first snowfall together. More comedic is Kibuishi's story about crossing a ravine of mushrooms and Johane Matte's Egyptian cat whose haughtiness dissolves into grossly indulgent self-pity. Perhaps most rousing is Jake Parker's Missile Mouse, an action-packed space drama complete with a prophecy, explosions, and lessons about responsibility and trust. While there is no underlying theme to the anthology, every story has a layout that promotes an acute sense of pacing and showcases the crisp, defined, full-color art indicative of some of the creators' animation backgrounds. Flight Explorer is an excellent introduction to graphic novels as it shows that you're never too young to laugh, think, and take part in some visual feasting.–Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library
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A few years ago, Image Comics and later Villard published a series of anthologies for adults entitled Flight, which showcased active cartoonists’ brief works. Flight Explorer does much the same thing, although the stories collected here are suitable for a young audience. Among the artists and writers represented in this first volume are Kean Soo, animator Rad Sechrist, Joahane Matte, Bone colorist Steve Hamaker, and video-game and children’s-book illustrator Matthew S. Armstrong. Each of the 10 stories in this launch volume is strong, engaging, and laced with humor. Editor Kibuishi’s Copper follows the adventure of a smart dog that unwillingly accompanies its master across a field of giant mushrooms and literally falls into their hands, and Hamaker’s Fish ‘n’ Chips, All in a Day’s Work uses a goldfish in a bowl as a key ingredient in tale mixing space operetta and superheroics. The variety of artistic styles, subject matter, and storytelling techniques combine to make this an intelligent mix, with high appeal to beginning graphic-novel aficionados. Grades 4-6. --Francisca Goldsmith

Edition details

• Publisher: Villard
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0345503139
• ISBN 13: 9780345503138
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112
• Editor: Kibuishi Kazu