Zaya by Jean-David Morvan & Huang-Jia Wei - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Diamond Book Distributors/Magnetic Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Zaya
Contributors: Jean-David Morvan, Huang-Jia Wei (Illustrator), Mike Kennedy (Translator)
Publication Date: August 26, 2014

Paul's Review

Synopsis: Zaya tells the story of secret agent in the distant future who left her post to seek a normal
life as an artist and mother. 

When a biomechanical threat destroys an orbiting colony station and former fellow agents start dying, she is called back into the field to find and stop the danger. 

Her investigation leads to many questions about her own past, filled with explosive revelations.

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Review: I really enjoyed Naja, also by Jean-David Morvan, so I was really looking forward to reading Zaya. I was hoping for an exciting, multi-layered, sci-fi adventure, and that's pretty much what I got! There were a few things that didn't work for me, and a couple of times when things got really weird, but for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel.

I think the basis of this story is very interesting. An ex-spy has settled down and is now the mother to twins. But in order to save the world, she has to go back in the field and risk everything she's worked so hard to build. The plot progressed predictably at first, and I felt like it was dragging for at least the first half. But then things get real weird and there are twists that I did not see coming at all! They hooked me, and kept me wanting more as I read on.

I really loved the artwork in this graphic novel. The art speaks for itself, and there are several passages when there's no dialogue at all and we get to see glimpses of Zaya's past go by almost like a photo album. Since the dialogue often didn't help progress the story as much as I would have liked, I really enjoyed these moments and thought they added quite a bit to the comic as a whole.

Zaya is a strong, independent, and sexy woman. She has some revealing outfits, but her spy gear and working outfits are sensible and not as ridiculous as many of the outfits women in comic books wear. It was a nice change of pace! There's still enough mature content that I'd say a younger crowd should probably not read this one, even though it is toned down quite a bit from something like, say, Well. This is an interesting comic, and I'll be looking for more of Jean-David's works in the future. 3/5!


--Ashley

Naja by Jean-David Morvan & Bengal - Ashley's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Diamond Book Distributors/Magnetic Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Naja
Authors: Jean-David Morvan & Bengal
Publication Date: June 3, 2014

Paul's Review

Synopsis: Naja is the perfect killer - because she feels nothing. Literally. Her body registers no pain, nor does her heart, coldly executing jobs given to her by her mysterious boss, known only as "Zero."

When another killer in Zero's organization targets Naja for elimination, she has no choice but to fall off the grid and seek answers, as bloody as they might be. 

Written by international creative powerhouse JD Morvan (Sillage, Zaya) and illustrated by French sensation Bengal (Meka, Luminae), this volume collects the entire five-book Naja series into a single, lavish album!

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Review: Naja is a really interesting character with a very troubled past that has led to her becoming the perfect assassin. She can literally feel no pain, physically or emotionally. She follows her orders and kills without regret, simply because her orders tell her to. But then, a mysterious stranger enters her life and warms her cold, unfeeling heart. 

And that's only the beginning of the tangled web that is Naja's life. I mean, I've read some pretty convoluted stories, but Naja definitely takes the cake. Nothing is as it seems, no one is who they say they are or who they appear to be, and Naja's life is way more ridiculous than anyone could ever have guessed. Throw in some assassins, assassins fighting assassins, assassins fighting armies, and even a Columbian prison, and this story is also pretty epic.

One of my favorite parts about this graphic novel was the way that it's told. Everything is seen through the eyes of an outside narrator. We don't find out his (or her) identity until near the end of the story, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Naja's life and her past and this story through the eyes of someone who may or may not be connected to it all. There are flashbacks throughout the story, and I thought they were well placed within the story happening in the present. 

I also really enjoyed the artwork in this graphic novel. It fit very well with the story - the colors match the mood and what's going on. Each character is distinct and it's easy to tell who is who and who might be related and all of that. I've never heard of Bengal before, but  I will definitely be looking more into his works just to see his art! 

Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. There is quite a bit of nudity, blood and gore, and some totally messed up familial connections (especially near the conclusion), so I would recommend this book for mature audiences. I don't think a younger audience would really understand a lot of what's going on anyway. If you love assassins and are looking for a different story featuring them that includes excellent story-telling and artwork, you should definitely pick up Naja! 4/5. 


--Ashley

Zaya (graphic novel) - Paul's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Diamond Book Distributors and Magnetic Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Zaya
Author: Jean-David Morvan
Illustrator: Huang-Jia Wei
Translator: Mike Kennedy
Recent Release Date: August 26, 2014

My Review of NAJA (also by Jean-David Morvan)


Synopsis: Zaya tells the story of secret agent in the distant future who left her post to seek a normal life as an artist and mother. When a biomechanical threat destroys an orbiting colony station and former fellow agents start dying, she is called back into the field to find and stop the danger. Her investigation leads to many questions about her own past, filled with explosive revelations.

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Review: There are many similarities between Zaya and Jean-David Morvan's other work, Naja, but halfway through this graphic novel there's a twist that really grabbed my attention. I won't spoil it, but it involves twisting reality. I prefer Zaya to Naja, but that may be because I like space adventures more than spy thrillers. 

The artwork in this graphic novel is different from what I've seen recently. The colors are quite muted, often very light or almost pastel. The details are incredible, but in some panels the details feel a little crowded. The technology blends really well into the overall aesthetic. The whole feel of the graphic novel reminded me of The Fifth Element. 

I really enjoyed the second half of this comic. I thought it was leading a predictable path at first, but it took a far turn and I enjoyed the ride. I give this graphic novel a 4/5 and highly recommend it to fans of space adventures that play with your mind. This is a mature graphic novel with gore and some sexual situations. 


--PAUL

Naja by Morvan and Bengal (graphic novel) - Paul's Review

*I received this book as an eARC from Diamond Book Distributors and Magnetic Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads



Title: Naja
Author: Jean-David Morvan 
Illustrator: Bengal
Year Published: 2014

Synopsis: Naja is the perfect killer - because she feels nothing. Literally. Her body registers no pain, nor does her heart, coldly executing jobs given to her by her mysterious boss, known only as "Zero." When another killer in Zero's organization targets Naja for elimination, she has no choice but to fall off the grid and seek answers, as bloody as they might be. Written by international creative powerhouse JD Morvan (Sillage, Zaya) and illustrated by French sensation Bengal (Meka, Luminae), this volume collects the entire five-book Naja series into a single, lavish album!

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Review: Naja is an assassin with quite the complicated past that has left her emotionally empty with the ability or disadvantage of not feeling pain. If you like epic assassin battles both between assassins and assassins fighting larger armies, you will enjoy this. This is definitely a mature graphic novel. There is nudity and gore. 

This book also addresses some pretty messed up issues. The relationships, both romantic and familial, are complex and as they unravel towards the end of the novel may become difficult to follow. Abuse is also an issue that is addressed. 

I enjoyed the narrator. It adds an interesting voice. It isn't until the end that you find the true identity of the narrator. 

I give this graphic novel a 3.5/5. I enjoyed it, but some of the reveals were a little too much for me. These characters are some really messed up people. The artwork was done excellently.   


--PAUL