The Wrath of Zozimos

April 15, 2012
This graphic novel is an epic at the speed of a flipbook. Stick figures are easy to draw. Even when hundreds of soldiers are massed around the city of Sticatha, they're all just circles and lines. The Stickman Odyssey books seem to be based around an obvious joke: Epic quests and fervent romances are acted out by characters with dots for eyes. That would explain the hectic pace. If the adventures are never more serious than a Warner Brothers cartoon, that's OK. Zozimos can be fighting a giant boar god on one page, then wandering the desert, then--somehow--turn into a goat. But this book has actual themes: Zozimos has to learn to control his anger and balance his desires for peace and war. And stick figures aren't good with themes. Their little dotted eyes can convey only so much emotion. The nuances might come through if Ford slowed down the action from time to time. There's a late scene where two characters, sailing a warship across the ocean, just stop and talk about their love lives. It's a touching moment, one of the few in the book. Thrilling as the story is, when Zozimos says, "There's always another adventure!" it begins to sound like a bit of a threat. The jokes are funnier than in volume one, but readers may wish there were more space between them. (Graphic adventure. 11-14)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 5-8-In this installment, Zozimos is kidnapped by his uncle so they can exact revenge on the evil witch who killed the king and banished him, the only prince, from the kingdom. However, Zozimos has other plans and tries to help his friends first. He finally makes it to his homeland of Sticatha, but not before his uncle is trampled to death by a giant boar, he is turned into a goat by Artemis, is tricked by Athena, and runs into his love... who happens to be his half sister. This is just the first part of Zozimos's crazy adventures. He goes on a dangerous quest, with many friends, to find the golden feather that holds the power of the gods. If he succeeds, he can have his kingdom back. Here is where Zozimos must face the monster within and battle what has been holding him back from being a true warrior for so long. These adventures truly feature stickmen. The black-and-white simple drawings and clean lines will target those who enjoy graphic novels already and are familiar with the variety of artwork associated with them. The story is simple to follow and entertaining, but feels rushed near the end. Nonetheless, the wacky action, pervasive potty humor, and fast pacing will captivate many readers. Those looking to beef up their graphic novel collections will appreciate this fun addition.-Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2012
Grades 5-8 The second installment of this stick-figure take on Greek heroic myths achieves the epic resonance the first lacked by sending protagonist Zozimos not only on a rollicking adventure through a dozen elements freely adapted from the ancient originals but also by having him face his own inner monsters. In a grand twist, Ford even subverts one of mythology's most persistent themes, as Zozimos makes a final, heroic stand against revenge. The stick art provides both stirring action sequences and moments of high emotion with careful application of perspective, the simplest stroke of the line, and an Argos-ful of imagination.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2012
This humorous graphic-novel sequel is loosely based on Homer's [cf2]Odyssey[cf1]. Zozimos, like all tragic heroes, learns that inner growth is needed to solve his problems. The illustrated panels feature slightly fleshed-out stick figures; the simple black-and-white pictures are easy to follow and are well suited to the storytelling, where silliness is emphasized over drama.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)