Captain America: The Ghost Army by Alan Gratz (Illustrated by Brent Schoonover)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Format: ARC (Courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours and Publisher)
Publisher: Graphix
Lately, I’ve been slowly introducing more genres (other than fantasy) to my reading list, and graphic novels have been a frequent choice. Given my love of Marvel content, it was a no-brainer to pick up Alan Gratz’s Captain America: The Ghost Army (illustrated by Brent Schoonover). This unique tale tells the story of Captain America and Bucky Barnes as they and the rest of the Howling Commandos take on an army of Nazi Ghosts.
I loved the art style and how they balanced the dialogue and action in each panel of the comic. The play on the ‘Ghost Army’ idea was pretty cool and helped lend itself to some humorous moments. There’s even a bit of romance in the book too. I enjoyed the way that Alan Gratz and Brent Schoonover captured the vibe of the time period well through their writing and drawings (given that Captain America is a World War 2 era icon, not a modern hero). The unexpected villain(s) who made an appearance was a hit for me, and I hope this storyline continues in a future graphic novel.
Admittedly, after so long seeing Captain America and Bucky Barnes as buff adult action movie heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was a little weird seeing a younger Bucky Barnes in a sidekick role (akin to a Batman and Robin dynamic). However, it did not affect my enjoyment of the read too much.
Overall, it was a fairly entertaining read. The novel is marketed as a middle-grade read, but I would lean more towards recommending it to an upper middle-grade or young adult audience. If you’re looking to introduce someone who loves graphic novels or comics to the superhero genre (or vice versa), this would be a great choice. It’s short too, so definitely a read someone could finish in an afternoon.
Thank you to the author, and the illustrator. the publishing team at Graphix and Scholastic, Edelweiss, and Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book as part of my participation in the blog tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed Captain America: The Ghost Army. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.
About the Book
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz ( Refugee, Ground Zero) comes an all-new, original Captain America graphic novel!
In this thrilling historical adventure set during World War II, Steve Rogers (AKA Captain America) and his young sidekick, Bucky Barnes, encounter threat like none they've ever seen -- a Ghost Army. The dead of this war and wars past are coming back to life, impervious to bullets, flames, or anything else the Allies can throw at them. The armies rise from the ground in the night and seem to disappear without a trace.
How can Cap and Buck fight something that's already dead? And just what does the mysterious Baron Mordo―sitting in his castle atop nearby Wundagore Mountain―have to do with this?
Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz merges the worlds of historical fiction and super hero comics in this one-of-a-kind graphic novel that is sure to be met with major enthusiasm from fans of all ages.
About the Author and Illustrator
About Alan Gratz:
Alan Gratz is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several highly acclaimed books for young readers, including Ground Zero, Allies, Grenade,Refugee, Projekt 1065, Prisoner B-3087, and Code of Honor. Alan lives in North Carolina with his wife and daughter. Look for him online at alangratz.com. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
About Brent Schoonover: Hailing from the epicenter of culture known as South Beloit, Il, Brent was on a one-way trip to normalcy until the fateful day he laid eyes upon his first comic book. He immediately grabbed hold of a pencil and never let go, dedicating himself to creating scores of characters and scenarios with a zeal that would make lesser men quake in dread.
Now located in Minnesota, he draws upon a fertile imagination marinated in comics, old cartoons, classic horror movies, pro wrestling and face-melting metal to create distinctive illustrations with a retro feel that run the gamut from comic books to editorial and packaging assignments. Working for clients such as Target, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Surly Brewing, and the Star Tribune. You can check out more of his work at
brentschoonover.com
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads
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