 | Strikers : a graphic novel Author: Phegley, Kiel | |
| Price: $15.57 | ||
Summary:
In Flint, Michigan, 1986, hockey--and life--keep handing Evan and Bobby losses, but together, they find reasons to keep taking the ice. In graphic novel format.
| Illustrator: | Khouri, Jacques |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/15/23)
Booklist (10/15/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 10/15/2023 When hockey team leader Johnny goes down with an injury, alternate captain Evan must rally his team to finish the season. Unlike some sports fiction authors, Phegley is less interested in what it takes to win than why the characters play in the first place, especially when the odds are so heavily stacked against them. Flint, Michigan in the 1980s is a fitting setting for this underdog story—the Flint Spirits are destined to relocate, and the memory of sit-ins from the 1930s in the region lingers in the background. While the story spends a lot of time on the ice with both games and practice, the interpersonal relationships, razzing, and camaraderie among the characters draw more attention. A brief epilogue for each team member paints a bittersweet portrait of his future, which feels genuine to the time and themes. Khouri’s artwork nicely differentiates among the characters during matches, but the rosy cheeks and happy expressions don’t always match tone. Readers who like their sports comics with both lots of action and vivid emotional dynamics are the best audience for this. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
