Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In four episodic chapters, 12-year-old Pax Samson, a brown-skinned child with telekinetic powers, decides between his chef aspirations and the family business. Pax is known in his family for being a great cook. But the planet of Soltellus knows him as "the offspring of the great hero of the Tri-City revolution," Grandma Samson--"the world's most popular hero," renowned for uniting humans and the Enchanted race ("the descendants of humans and gods"), and defeating the "mad god Odin." More comfortable in the kitchen, Pax struggles to find his place among his eccentric family members, including time-traveling Aunty P., his adopted nonhuman sister, and superhero parents. But uprisings by supporters of the defeated powers resurrect unexpected enemies, causing Pax to question whether he should hang up his cape for good. Doucet and Reeves interweave a high-energy plot; snarky, accessible dialogue ("Bruh! I told you to let those lil dudes go"); and nods to Black American culture, drawing perceptive real-world parallels on subjects including community building, history, racial prejudice, slavery, and xenophobia. Vibrant panels by Doucet, an absorbing world, and dynamic fight scenes propel this promising graphic novel series starter. Ages 9--12. (Aug.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4--7--On the planet Soltellus, Pax Samson comes from a long line of superheroes, starting with his grandmother, who at over 400 years old is a force to be reckoned with. Though Pax has a lot of support, he also has a lot to live up to, and it doesn't help that he would rather be perfecting recipes and cooking for his family than practicing his superhero skills. A multitude of characters and superhero names are thrown at readers from the book's start; combined with creative names of towns and places, and it's a lot to keep up with. The artwork does help differentiate the many characters, with different color patterns for flashbacks. However, supporting characters aren't fleshed out, and even Pax is kept at surface level. Doucet offers some backstory for Pax's grandmother, which connects to a tale told in a previous chapter. Still, this is a beautiful book--colors are bright and vibrant, and panels are mostly linear and easy to follow. Different adventures are broken up into chapters, which is a bit disjointed, but it leads to a large battle, with the many family members supporting one another by the end. Pax and his family are Black. VERDICT Recommended where graphic novels are flying off shelves, and where readers are seeking something new and different.--Mariela Siegert, Downers Grove North H.S., IL
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Twelve-year-old Pax Samson has a supersized legacy to live up to, but he often prefers a simpler life in the kitchen. Everyone in the whole Samson family is a superhero, and Grandma is perhaps the world's best. Still, even she acknowledges that a new generation needs to be groomed and prepared for what the planet Soltellus and the precarious Tri-City partnership may face. Pax is still prone to mistakes, but Grandma and the rest of the family--Pax's doting superparents, his adopted, not-quite-human big sis, time-traveling Aunty, and even his pestering, shirtless wonder of an older cousin--believe in his potential for heroics almost as much as they love his dragon noodle soup and his other culinary triumphs. Pax, however, doesn't always believe in himself, and it'll take learning of his family's history fighting against enslavement, fascists, and the long-standing prejudices of Soltellus to inspire him to pave his own path. Doucet and Reeves tell a vibrant, action-packed story of a rather special brown boy and his big family, but before good and evil face off, nuance is presented in the impressive worldbuilding and thoughtful reflection on racial biases readers will find both different to our own world and familiar. Like the title's reference to a Black American tradition, this series starter of a graphic novel features accessible yet unmistakably cultural humor throughout--some of it, sadly, on the ableist side. A fun, superpowerful story of what's worth fighting for. (Graphic fantasy. 8-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
