Girl Genius by Kaja and Phil Foglio
Publisher: Studio Foglio, 2000-2010
Genre: Science Fiction
Sub-genre: Steampunk, Comic book
I thought we'd try on something a little different today, and we can all see how we like it. Drop a line and let me know if this is the kind of feature we'd like to continue, alright? I mean, this is just as much your place as it is mine.
Usually, I have a one book = one review ratio. Which makes a general sort of sense, because it could be rather difficult to pull a dozen reviews out of one book. In some cases though, especially with comics, it may be smarter to review the entire series (or series in progress, as the case may be) rather than taking one issue at a time. So let's give that a whirl, shall we?
Here we have the Girl Genius series, which chronicles the story of Agatha Heterodyne. I love the covers of these books, and in fact that's what made me pick it up in the first place. Just from the cover art, you have a good idea what you're getting into: all the brass and clockwork of steampunk, with a likeable heroine and cartoony artwork. That's the cover for volume 1 of the series up there, Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank, and is a fairly typical example of what the rest of the books look like. Brilliant heroine plus steampunk plus bright colours means I pick it up to read. Enough said.
Agatha's world is one wherein people are born with a "mad science" gene, or spark as it's called. Sparks are brilliant, mechanically inclined, and more than a little obsessive about their work. Most of them go insane because of their talent, or just build something they can't control and wind up killing themselves and everyone around them. The ones who survive, though, are very valuable, so people are willing to put up with their bizarre quirks for the most part.
Not so long ago, a number of sparks decided to build bigger and better creations and essentially beat each other up. One particularly strong spark, Baron Wulfenbach, beat out all the others and is running the place now, and most people have to reluctantly admit the peace he's brought is a definite improvement from all the mad science wars that came before.
Agatha is a brilliant but unlucky lab assistant. She's always had the urge to build creations of her own, but without the spark, none of the things she creates ever work. Her quiet life is about to be interrupted, though, and Agatha is about to make some startling discoveries, including one that will change her forever.
The tagline for the Girl Genius series is "Adventure, romance, mad science!" and it pretty well sums things up. This isn't a story that ever takes itself too seriously, and makes for a very fun romp through an alternate history where lab coats, goggles, and sadistic cackling are all just par for the course. The creators have clearly paid attention to the rule of writing that states "tension on every page" and never just stop the plot for a gag, although there's humour aplenty in here. There are monsters to be killed, evil plots to be overthrown, and rules of physics to be broken, not to mention a love triangle to be balanced. Agatha's got plenty to deal with, and it all goes at a pace quick enough to keep up the action without overwhelming the reader.
Agatha herself is a major draw. She's gutsy, brilliant, and doesn't put up with guff from anyone, no matter how much higher on the social ladder they sit. She might have a lot to deal with, but there's never any doubt that she's strong enough to handle it all and come out on top. She's surrounded by a collection of very colourful characters (including a talking cat) who sometimes help, sometimes hinder, but always entertain.
The artwork on the cover is a great indication of what the art on the actual pages looks like. It's colourful and cartoony with some brilliant facial expressions.
I'm sure it's pretty clear by now I think this is a fantastic series to follow, and well worth the time investment. Whether you're keen on the steampunk trend or just want an excuse to hang out with some wonderful mad scientists, you're in for a treat.
The Girl Genius series is available in book form
or can be read online for free at www.girlgenius.com.
Genre: Science Fiction
Sub-genre: Steampunk, Comic book
I thought we'd try on something a little different today, and we can all see how we like it. Drop a line and let me know if this is the kind of feature we'd like to continue, alright? I mean, this is just as much your place as it is mine.
Usually, I have a one book = one review ratio. Which makes a general sort of sense, because it could be rather difficult to pull a dozen reviews out of one book. In some cases though, especially with comics, it may be smarter to review the entire series (or series in progress, as the case may be) rather than taking one issue at a time. So let's give that a whirl, shall we?
Here we have the Girl Genius series, which chronicles the story of Agatha Heterodyne. I love the covers of these books, and in fact that's what made me pick it up in the first place. Just from the cover art, you have a good idea what you're getting into: all the brass and clockwork of steampunk, with a likeable heroine and cartoony artwork. That's the cover for volume 1 of the series up there, Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank, and is a fairly typical example of what the rest of the books look like. Brilliant heroine plus steampunk plus bright colours means I pick it up to read. Enough said.
Agatha's world is one wherein people are born with a "mad science" gene, or spark as it's called. Sparks are brilliant, mechanically inclined, and more than a little obsessive about their work. Most of them go insane because of their talent, or just build something they can't control and wind up killing themselves and everyone around them. The ones who survive, though, are very valuable, so people are willing to put up with their bizarre quirks for the most part.
Not so long ago, a number of sparks decided to build bigger and better creations and essentially beat each other up. One particularly strong spark, Baron Wulfenbach, beat out all the others and is running the place now, and most people have to reluctantly admit the peace he's brought is a definite improvement from all the mad science wars that came before.
Agatha is a brilliant but unlucky lab assistant. She's always had the urge to build creations of her own, but without the spark, none of the things she creates ever work. Her quiet life is about to be interrupted, though, and Agatha is about to make some startling discoveries, including one that will change her forever.
The tagline for the Girl Genius series is "Adventure, romance, mad science!" and it pretty well sums things up. This isn't a story that ever takes itself too seriously, and makes for a very fun romp through an alternate history where lab coats, goggles, and sadistic cackling are all just par for the course. The creators have clearly paid attention to the rule of writing that states "tension on every page" and never just stop the plot for a gag, although there's humour aplenty in here. There are monsters to be killed, evil plots to be overthrown, and rules of physics to be broken, not to mention a love triangle to be balanced. Agatha's got plenty to deal with, and it all goes at a pace quick enough to keep up the action without overwhelming the reader.
Agatha herself is a major draw. She's gutsy, brilliant, and doesn't put up with guff from anyone, no matter how much higher on the social ladder they sit. She might have a lot to deal with, but there's never any doubt that she's strong enough to handle it all and come out on top. She's surrounded by a collection of very colourful characters (including a talking cat) who sometimes help, sometimes hinder, but always entertain.
The artwork on the cover is a great indication of what the art on the actual pages looks like. It's colourful and cartoony with some brilliant facial expressions.
I'm sure it's pretty clear by now I think this is a fantastic series to follow, and well worth the time investment. Whether you're keen on the steampunk trend or just want an excuse to hang out with some wonderful mad scientists, you're in for a treat.
The Girl Genius series is available in book form
or can be read online for free at www.girlgenius.com.