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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
crookedtreehouse's review
3.0
While I enjoy graphic novels aimed at young adults, and I have a fondness for newspaper comic strips, I always felt that the comic books written for young kids were annoying. Casper The Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, they just weren't my humor or sense of adventure. For the most part, 1980s comics aimed at kids were super dumbed down and featured a weird mix of baby talk and adult logic from writers who didn't understand kids.
While Power Pack was never destined to be one of my favorite comics, I do have to praise Louise Simonson for writing believable kid dialogue, and using plots that aren't quite as dark or violent as the stories aimed at preteens and young teens but clearly exist in the same universe.
I only picked this up for the connection to the X-Men Morlocks story that runs through [b:X-Men Epic Collection, Vol. 12: The Gift|25319012|X-Men Epic Collection, Vol. 12 The Gift|Chris Claremont|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1467381440l/25319012._SY75_.jpg|45051887] and sets up some of the events in [b:X-Men: Mutant Massacre|32355|X-Men Mutant Massacre|Chris Claremont|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347696886l/32355._SY75_.jpg|32546]. It's ok. It's connection to The Fantastic Four via Franklin Richards (who joins the team shortly after their X-Men crossover) is fun. I'd previously only read the Power Pack issue in Mutant Massacre, and otherwise, only seen the Powers family in [b:FF, Vol. 1|11596997|FF, Vol. 1|Jonathan Hickman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486034704l/11596997._SY75_.jpg|16538999].
Their powers are fairly basic derivatives of X-Men and other prominent heroes but their family-based interactions track accurate, and their unfortunate run-ins with The Morlocks (who are no less powerful than they are in the X-Men books) were interesting enough for me to keep reading to the end of the volume.
Your mileage may vary but it's worth at least flipping through a volume if you see one in a used book store or library.
While Power Pack was never destined to be one of my favorite comics, I do have to praise Louise Simonson for writing believable kid dialogue, and using plots that aren't quite as dark or violent as the stories aimed at preteens and young teens but clearly exist in the same universe.
I only picked this up for the connection to the X-Men Morlocks story that runs through [b:X-Men Epic Collection, Vol. 12: The Gift|25319012|X-Men Epic Collection, Vol. 12 The Gift|Chris Claremont|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1467381440l/25319012._SY75_.jpg|45051887] and sets up some of the events in [b:X-Men: Mutant Massacre|32355|X-Men Mutant Massacre|Chris Claremont|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347696886l/32355._SY75_.jpg|32546]. It's ok. It's connection to The Fantastic Four via Franklin Richards (who joins the team shortly after their X-Men crossover) is fun. I'd previously only read the Power Pack issue in Mutant Massacre, and otherwise, only seen the Powers family in [b:FF, Vol. 1|11596997|FF, Vol. 1|Jonathan Hickman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486034704l/11596997._SY75_.jpg|16538999].
Their powers are fairly basic derivatives of X-Men and other prominent heroes but their family-based interactions track accurate, and their unfortunate run-ins with The Morlocks (who are no less powerful than they are in the X-Men books) were interesting enough for me to keep reading to the end of the volume.
Your mileage may vary but it's worth at least flipping through a volume if you see one in a used book store or library.
jstilts's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
If your children are interested in reading superhero comics books but aren't old enough for the likes of the Hulk and Iron Man smashing and blasting their way through their problems, Power Pack is the perfect introduction: four newly empowered siblings finding encountering people and problems that teach them age-appropriate life lessons as mundane as not cheating at baseball and as weighty as racism. These issues are usually presented in suprisingly nuances ways, and the children's differing personalities guarantee you get many points of view and attitudes.
The mix of the children's powers and varying levels of maturity mean they're only ever really affective together, and the theme of family - and found family - runs strong.
Volume 2 is a pretty strong run, the characters having settled down nicely since their slightly rocky origin stories in Volume 1, but the whole run is solid.
Probably of little interest to adults unless, like me, you remember reading these as a child. But for their target audience of young thoughtful children who dream of being a superhero but aren't obsessed with fighting, this is a solid 3 stars.
The mix of the children's powers and varying levels of maturity mean they're only ever really affective together, and the theme of family - and found family - runs strong.
Volume 2 is a pretty strong run, the characters having settled down nicely since their slightly rocky origin stories in Volume 1, but the whole run is solid.
Probably of little interest to adults unless, like me, you remember reading these as a child. But for their target audience of young thoughtful children who dream of being a superhero but aren't obsessed with fighting, this is a solid 3 stars.