Modo

December 11, 2017
Slade brings back the central characters from 2009’s The Hunchback Assignments and its sequels in this action-packed graphic novel. Shape-shifting spy Modo and his partner, Octavia Milkweed, stumble into the strange town of Ember’s End (where, among other oddities, guns don’t work) in a steampunk version of 1885 Nevada. After being deputized by the local bartender/judge/undertaker, the two are soon fighting a ninja and a nearly indestructible cowboy named Ogden Bull, who is after a “magnificent device” created by the town’s founder, Ebenezer Ember, the source of the unusual inventions that make Ember’s End a town like no other. Steininger’s stylized, angular illustrations bring a cinematic energy to this Wild West fantasy. Octavia’s wisecracks and hard-edged attitude steal the show, and Slade and Steininger balance exposition with fun, sometimes slapstick action sequences when the deputies clash with Ogden and his henchmen. Readers familiar with Slade’s previous novels may appreciate this spinoff best, but prior knowledge of Octavia and Modo isn’t necessary to enjoy their sparring, verbal and otherwise. Ages 9–12.

January 1, 2018
Grades 4-7 Modo and his partner, Octavia, mosey into the mysterious Wild West town of Ember's End, which is protected by a force field that stops bullets in their tracks. After the town's mysterious inventor goes missing and the sheriff dies, Modo and Octavia become deputies and set out to investigate both crimes. Those unfamiliar with Modo and Octavia's previous adventures might be a little lost about the history and chemistry between the two, as previous adventures from Slade's novel, The Hunchback Assignments (2009), which features the same protagonists, aren't really discussed or introduced. The story overall is standard western fare, filled with showdowns and damsels in distress, making the journey predictable but definitely fun. It's really Steininger's illustrations that make the comic something special. His lanky character designs, which recall 1940s cartoons, elevate the humor and tone, while his inventive steampunk drawings make for fantastic scene-setting. Fans of the genre will surely have something to gush about after digging into this engrossing adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)