Interesting concept, not sure why I don't love it...
I love steampunk or Victorian fantasy. I should embrace this comic fully. But for some reason I can't get into it as much as I would like to.
I think it is because I don't like the drawing style or coloring. It comes off very garish bright and Anime.I know it's an American comic, but it comes off very Japanese in a lot of aspects. The backgrounds sometimes look like pixellated images taken from photos. That would be ok creatively, but in the printed version, it doesn't look very good and takes away from the artwork.
Some reviews have said our heroine here is drawn plump, I have no idea what that means. I have no problem with the way the Agatha is drawn in concept. She looks normal, not plump to me, but then aren't most women over size 8 viewed as plump in our American culture. It's too bad, rather sad. I don't have problem with that, I applaud the drawing of a young girl who isn't trying to stave herself. But, she is colored too bright or something. Sometimes she looks very vampiric teethwise, not sure if it is supposed to be that way or not.
The plot was entertaining enough, but I guess I thought I would see more of the science side. Since it is the 4th volume and I just jumped in, maybe she does this in other books. I just kept hearing "science, science, science!" in the book, with no science supporting it except her fixing something that was never shown. It's like expected Jules Verne and getting Pee-Wee's Playhouse instead.
I didn't understand the talking cat. It reminded me strangely of Bloom County.
To me, I didn't get some of the jokes, so I would move on. I think I was hoping for more substance and I know it's a cartoon essentially, but I was hoping for more deeper meaning like I find in graphic novels like Sandman and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Characters fight at the wink of an eye, without being provoked. Maybe it is its anime spirit, I am not sure. Or maybe it is because it is written for teens, but still, for a genius, it could be much smarter.
I might have to read another volume of this. But my only experience is reading this volume. I couldn't give this volume more than a 3 or recommend it other than to people who want to read any and every steampunk work out there. Reading this comic is much like watching TV and could be enjoyable for most people, if they want something not that deep. And this comic could be deep and a lot more science-y and inventive, but falls short.
Good old-fashioned adventure with a dose of mad science
Phil Foglio's 'Girl Genius' lives in a world where mad scientists create armies of steam-powered robots and scientific monsters. Our heroine is Agatha Heterodine, a budding mad scientist (called 'sparks'), daughter of great hero and all around charming heroine. In this volume she joins a circus and uncovers new mysteries.
This volume is filled with the same crazy inventions, charming characters and rip-roaring adventure we've seen in the last 4. There are legitimately funny moments, interesting supporting characters and lots of thrills.
So why not 5 stars?
First off, this is the first color collection I've read and I found the coloring garish, it really hurt the art.
Secondly this is Agatha's third status quo and third set of supporting characters in 4 volumes. After this many pages I expect more of a plot and less randomness.
Finally Agatha herself has more than a little 'Mary-Sue' about her. She's beautiful, brilliant, charming, has superpowers, AND is the heir to two different heroic lost families. She is just too perfect. But Foglio seems aware of this and even subtly mocks in a backup story called 'Fan Fiction'.
So it's worth a read, even if you've not picked up the previous volumes this is fun stuff for all-ages.
Most Consistent Girl Genius Volume So Far
"Circus of Dreams" is the fourth "Girl Genius" collection (10-13 of the comic series, and the start of the web version), starting after Agatha and the talking cat Krosp have escaped into the (highly dangerous) wilderness. It lacks some of the great frantic feel of the latter part of "Monster Engine" but still has some excellent passages.
The art is slowly improving - the exaggerated expressions still don't work sometimes (mostly on distant characters where there's not enough room) but there's less of a problem with characters looking like posed dolls. Most of the action revolves around Agatha and the traveling circus she runs into; like a the comic in general, the circus is a creative bit of fun, and the Foglios use it well.
The setting change requires only a slight break in stride - this is the most consistent of the Girl Genius volumes so far, and the most entertaining. ****1/2
The Play's the Thing
Agatha Heterodyne is all alone in the world. She's on the run from the ruling power of Europe, his airship fleet, his mechanical soldiers and military monsters, his homicidal maniac lieutenant (on furlough from her job as a pirate queen) and his handsome and intelligent son. Agatha is travelling incognito in the wastelands with her only talking cat. But not for long, for she has a knack for making friends.
It all makes sense, really it does.
You just have to be there, which is where Phil and Kaja Foglio come in. This is a rip-snorting tale with a well-developed universe, humor, danger, romantic overtones, clever references to our versions of the history books, terrific artwork, and lots of clues to future mysteries. Who are the geisterdamen? Who was the High Priestess? Who won the Race to the West Pole? What happens when a real mad scientist plays one on the stage?
And what is kolee-dok-zumil?
The Girl Genius webcomic from which these books are derived was awarded the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story of 2008.
Crackling Electric Death Rays Are A Girl's Best Friend.
On the lam from Mad Baron Wulfenbach, Agatha's mini-zeppelin crashes in the remote wilderness. On foot & hungry, she & her companion, the genetically-engineered cat Krosp, locate a traveling circus, under attack by a robot war machine.
I bet you never thought you'd ever read the previous sentence. :)
Will Agatha improvise a ray-cannon out of wrecked machinery, that can take out the robot war machine?
Will Agatha escape the Baron's assault troopers?
Will the Baron's lovestruck son find her first?
And will the talking cat Krosp keep trying to stuff mice down Agatha's throat as field rations/bon-bons?
If you can stop laughing long enough, you'll find out. The humor/storyline here is well worth the effort.
(10 reviews)
