Graphic Novel Review – Hero Cats Vol 1: Hero Cats of Stellar City by Kyle Puttkammer, Marcus Williams, Ryan Sellers, Omaka Schultz, and Briana Higgins (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Children’s
Genre: Graphic Novel/Super Heros
Length: 96 pages
Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment
Release Date: February 17, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1632290793
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Hero Cats series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5 stars
“The cutest heroes on the planet have arrived! Meet the Hero Cats of Stellar City in this, their first spectacular graphic novel. Not your ordinary house cats, they’re a tactical, action-packed covert team dealing with extraordinary threats to humanity in ways that will amaze.”
My nine year old son and I picked this up at our local comic book store. This was a cute graphic novel that is something children (especially cat and superhero loving children) will enjoy.
The illustration is colorful and the cats are fun (if a bit stereotypical). The dialogue is a fairly low reading level and a bit goofy at times; but my son loved it and has read it multiple times. He wants all the other Hero Cats TPs immediately!
As an adult I didn’t enjoy it as much as he did. I thought the dialogue and story felt a bit simple and forced at times. I think this is definitely a graphic novel for kids only. Adults will most likely be bored by the predictable story and simple plot.
Some of these graphic novels (think Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi or Bone by Jeff Smith) do a great job of entertaining both adults and children. This is not one of those series.
Overall it’s well done for what it is. It’s intended for kids and I think kids will enjoy it. However, I was a bit disappointed that it doesn’t have more crossover appeal to me as an adult. If you are looking for a great middle grade level graphic novel series that both kids and adults can enjoy I would recommend the following: Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, Cleopatrain Space series by Mike Maihak, Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke, Bone by Jeff Smith, and any of Doug TenNapel’s works.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
