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Review: Sidekicks

Sidekicks

Written and Illustrated by Dan Santat

Scholastic Press

Reviewed by Steve Seigh

Captain Amazing is getting old. The world is moving on around him and he just can’t take a punch like he used to. However, the world still needs saving. So it’s up to Captain Amazing to admit to the public that he’s perhaps just not as super as he used to be, and to start holding auditions for a replacement or sidekick. This news comes as a surprise to his seemingly ordinary household pets: Roscoe, a burly dog, Fluffy, a squishy little hamster, and Shifty, the new chameleon of the house . The three of them would love nothing more than to fight alongside their master as he protects Metro City. There’s only one problem … household pets can’t be sidekicks … or can they?

 I first heard about Dan Santat‘s Sidekicks after it was chosen as one of 2011’s Best Graphic Novels by The Nerdy Bookclub. Never one  to shy away from an art style that harkens back to the good old days of binge pancake eating and Saturday morning cartoons, I was intrigued by Sidekicks at first glance. We’re all about diversity here at Talking Comics,  and as such, love to give all manner of graphic novels an equal opportunity to impress us.

Do you remember those precious days when the Scholastic Book Club used to come to your Elementary School once each quarter? You know what I’m talking about –  your teacher would send you home with a little newspaper print pamphlet, containing all the books that would be featured in the sale, and you’d beg your parents to fork over their hard earned money after you’ve eagerly checked off a multitude of title boxes? Yeah, I know it’s been awhile, but those were good times. Well, I’ve got news for your 11 year old self … Sidekicks is the book that would have been at the top of your list.

There were so many moments while reading Sidekicks that I’d found a big old grin stretched across my face. While reading, I was transported back to a time when reading was all about having an adventure. The concept and world of Sidekicks feels like something that should be optioned by Dreamworks or Blue Sky Studios. Presented with a glossy raised cover and slick, bright pages, Sidekicks is the perfect cook to introduce young readers to the world of comic books. Though, obviously, the book does not exist merely to satisfy the minds of young children. Sidekicks, is a book that will transport you back to when times were simpler. Forget about your job, your schedule, and all of the annoyances that an average “day at the office” brings, and allow yourself to get lost in a tale of high adventure, playful art, and characters that will have you laughing and smiling the whole way through. 

VERDICT

Buy it – This is the perfect book to pick up if you’re looking to introduce your little one to the world of comic books. It’s also the perfect read if you just want to escape for a while and be transported back to a time when things were simpler and the laughs much more genuine. 

Executive Editor of Talking Comics, Co-Host of the Talking Comics podcast, Host of the Talking Games podcast, Writer of Ink & Pixel featured on Joblo.com, Candadian by proxy, and Pancake King.

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