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Peter Panzerfaust #1-2
Peter Panzerfaust: Deluxe Edition, Volume 1
A coming-of-age tale told through the eyes of a group of French orphans during World War II who are saved by a brave and daring American boy named Peter. As they travel together, they get tangled up in the French Resistance and their efforts against a growing German presence under the leadership of a fanatical, hook-handed SS officer hellbent on wiping them out!
This Deluxe Edition collects the first 10 issues of Peter Panzerfaust. Contains never before seen illustrations by TYLER JENKINS and reveals the Peter Pan Easter eggs as written by KURTIS J. WIEBE.
This Deluxe Edition collects the first 10 issues of Peter Panzerfaust. Contains never before seen illustrations by TYLER JENKINS and reveals the Peter Pan Easter eggs as written by KURTIS J. WIEBE.
364 pages, Hardcover
Published December 31, 2013
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Kurtis J. Wiebe
181 books768 followersKurtis Wiebe is a Vancouver, Canada based author. The founder and CEO of Vast Vision Publishing, he comes from a two decades long career in comics and games. He is the co-creator of over ten original comic series and a content creator spanning podcasts, live streams and other digital media. His stories have garnered multiple industry awards including two coveted Shuster’s for best writer.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 24, 2017
This is the story of Peter Pan re-imagined as happening in France during the German invasion of WWII. It is an interesting choice to have the lost boys be French orphans and Peter Pan be an American boy (instead of English). I suspect this was done because the story was written for an American audience. The art was serviceable. Naturally Captain Hook was a National Socialist German.
I loved all the little ways they tied things in this story to the original. I caught many of them but at the end of the book they list many of the ways and I did miss some of them. I wouldn't mind reading the rest of the series.
As is often the case with Image hardcovers the book itself is well put together and is in the usual oversize dimensions.
I loved all the little ways they tied things in this story to the original. I caught many of them but at the end of the book they list many of the ways and I did miss some of them. I wouldn't mind reading the rest of the series.
As is often the case with Image hardcovers the book itself is well put together and is in the usual oversize dimensions.
January 24, 2015
Peter Panzerfaust is a re-imagening of Peter Pan in a World War II setting. Peter is an American youth, stuck in occupied France, who befriends a group of French orphans. Together they try to survive and stay out of the clutches of Nazi Kapitan Haken.
At first glance, what's not to like? I had high hopes when I heard about this comic. But unfortunately, those expectations weren't met. The book is low on plot and its characters have little depth.
But mostly it's the artwork that lets this title down. Especially the generic character design (a lot of the Lost Boys look very much alike). Writer Kurtis Wiebe doesn't use a lot of description, so most of the time it comes down to Tyler Jenkins' art to tell us what's going on. He doesn't always succeed which at times makes the plot hard to follow.
At first glance, what's not to like? I had high hopes when I heard about this comic. But unfortunately, those expectations weren't met. The book is low on plot and its characters have little depth.
But mostly it's the artwork that lets this title down. Especially the generic character design (a lot of the Lost Boys look very much alike). Writer Kurtis Wiebe doesn't use a lot of description, so most of the time it comes down to Tyler Jenkins' art to tell us what's going on. He doesn't always succeed which at times makes the plot hard to follow.
May 16, 2017
Inglorious Basterds meets Peter Pan.
This book looks pretty damn cool. The colors, the lines, even the font makes it look like a pretty nifty period piece. This is Peter Pan if Peter came to France during WWII to rescue orphans. The Lost Boys' orphanage was bombed by the Nazis and Peter tries to get them to safety. Along the way they pick up the Darlings (in kind of a really screwed up way) and they try to fight in the Resistance.
This sounds right up my alley. Quentin Tarantino seems like a creeper but I can't deny that I am entertained by his films. Had he not already done a piece set during WWII, this is something I would be interested to see him adapt. I know, I know, it's been adapted but it would be cool to see what Tarantino would've done with a live action version of this.
So, why didn't this work for me?
Something about it just doesn't go far enough. I feel like we just scratch the surface with Peter. I get that he's supposed to remain somewhat of a mystery. Hence the Lost Boys' POV and the lack of Peter's narrative. Still, I wanted to see more of Peter. I wanted him to feel just a bit more like the protagonist. Also, I didn't fully love the Lost Boys. For a significant part of the book, I couldn't really tell them apart. I was sorry when they lost some of their friends but I just didn't feel the tension during the action sequences because I wasn't super invested in them outside of wanting them to take down the Nazis.
While we're on the subject, can I say how refreshing it is to see a book where the Nazis are the bad guys? Because it's really freaking refreshing.
I don't remember a ton of details about Peter Pan and its lore. I like that Tiger Lily and Wendy are badasses for a second here. They even save the boys from time to time. Captain Hook was fantastic in this book. Honesty, I wanted so much more from his interaction with Peter. It was the most interesting fight with the most interesting dialogue and it was wayyyyyy too short.
The art is not my favorite but it's pretty cool. The actions scenes are pretty well done. I definitely recommend checking it out but I think it's best to check it out from a library first. It looks awesome but it just didn't give me enough to really sink my teeth into.
3 stars.
This book looks pretty damn cool. The colors, the lines, even the font makes it look like a pretty nifty period piece. This is Peter Pan if Peter came to France during WWII to rescue orphans. The Lost Boys' orphanage was bombed by the Nazis and Peter tries to get them to safety. Along the way they pick up the Darlings (in kind of a really screwed up way) and they try to fight in the Resistance.
This sounds right up my alley. Quentin Tarantino seems like a creeper but I can't deny that I am entertained by his films. Had he not already done a piece set during WWII, this is something I would be interested to see him adapt. I know, I know, it's been adapted but it would be cool to see what Tarantino would've done with a live action version of this.
So, why didn't this work for me?
Something about it just doesn't go far enough. I feel like we just scratch the surface with Peter. I get that he's supposed to remain somewhat of a mystery. Hence the Lost Boys' POV and the lack of Peter's narrative. Still, I wanted to see more of Peter. I wanted him to feel just a bit more like the protagonist. Also, I didn't fully love the Lost Boys. For a significant part of the book, I couldn't really tell them apart. I was sorry when they lost some of their friends but I just didn't feel the tension during the action sequences because I wasn't super invested in them outside of wanting them to take down the Nazis.
While we're on the subject, can I say how refreshing it is to see a book where the Nazis are the bad guys? Because it's really freaking refreshing.
I don't remember a ton of details about Peter Pan and its lore. I like that Tiger Lily and Wendy are badasses for a second here. They even save the boys from time to time. Captain Hook was fantastic in this book. Honesty, I wanted so much more from his interaction with Peter. It was the most interesting fight with the most interesting dialogue and it was wayyyyyy too short.
The art is not my favorite but it's pretty cool. The actions scenes are pretty well done. I definitely recommend checking it out but I think it's best to check it out from a library first. It looks awesome but it just didn't give me enough to really sink my teeth into.
3 stars.
June 25, 2020
Fantastic art, reminiscent of Monkey Punch. The premise is pure gold, a re imagining of Peter Pan set during WWII. I only read this one and didn't keep up with the series but I really like the writing, the art, the pure style of the thing.
Also, if you are going to own it physically then this Deluxe edition hardcover is the ONLY way to go.
Also, if you are going to own it physically then this Deluxe edition hardcover is the ONLY way to go.
September 4, 2025
An excellent WW2 historical fiction story featuring an intriguing Peter Pan and his crew. I'm normally not one for historical war fiction, but this graphic novel is just that good that I definitely need to finish this series.
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July 28, 2015
So first off a warning - apparently there was a Volume 2 Deluxe Edition planned but it was cancelled at the last minute. I'm not sure if this is because the comic was cancelled or put on hiatus (I believe they're up to issue 25 or 26). So, if you plan on getting the 'deluxe' collection, you will be waiting a long time. Maybe they'll put out a 25 issue Omnibus but I wouldn't hold my breath. You can still collect the stories I believe in TPB but I'm not certain.
On to the review -
A pretty fun story, set during the early days of World War II. Peter and his band of boys are busy being a thorn in the side of occupying forces in France. If you didn't know by now, this is basically a 'modern' re-telling of Peter Pan, complete with 'Captain' Hook, the Lost Boys, the Braves and Nana. There are a lot of parallels with the original (Peter Pan and Wendy) and for fans of that story I'm sure you will appreciate the little nods and homages sprinkled throughout.
Character development is a bit mediocre, the sense of time doesn't jive very well and the introduction of Peter and the Boys seems a bit forced. Art is decent with a bit of 'character confusion' (characters that look similar) but it works.
Extras for the Deluxe edition are nice... sketches, and variant covers of course. There was a nice few pages dedicated to outlining the similarities with the Peter Pan and Wendy book. In one of the last chapters, there seems to be a mis-print where the same four panels are re-printed.
What else? Would I buy the second book if there was one? Certainly!! I did enjoy the story and would rate it 3.5 stars if possible. There were some shortcomings but the novelty of Peter Pan killing Nazis is just too good to ignore.
On to the review -
A pretty fun story, set during the early days of World War II. Peter and his band of boys are busy being a thorn in the side of occupying forces in France. If you didn't know by now, this is basically a 'modern' re-telling of Peter Pan, complete with 'Captain' Hook, the Lost Boys, the Braves and Nana. There are a lot of parallels with the original (Peter Pan and Wendy) and for fans of that story I'm sure you will appreciate the little nods and homages sprinkled throughout.
Character development is a bit mediocre, the sense of time doesn't jive very well and the introduction of Peter and the Boys seems a bit forced. Art is decent with a bit of 'character confusion' (characters that look similar) but it works.
Extras for the Deluxe edition are nice... sketches, and variant covers of course. There was a nice few pages dedicated to outlining the similarities with the Peter Pan and Wendy book. In one of the last chapters, there seems to be a mis-print where the same four panels are re-printed.
What else? Would I buy the second book if there was one? Certainly!! I did enjoy the story and would rate it 3.5 stars if possible. There were some shortcomings but the novelty of Peter Pan killing Nazis is just too good to ignore.
September 25, 2014
Peter Panzerfaust (great title) is a clever retelling of Peter Pan set in the french resistance during World War II. The Lost Boys, the Darlings, Hook and others all fit seamlessly into a backdrop of the fall of Calais and Parisian underground. Kurtis J. Wiebe weaves specific lines of dialogue and imagery from the source material without crossing into fantasy. There is a illusion to Peter flying early in the book when Peter leaps from the orphanage to the "second window to the right" (and presumably "on till morning"). But, in the author's notes at the end of the book, when he mentions that people question him if Peter really flies at that moment, he states "...there's magic in the memories of old men". Perfectly stated. That is also the blessing and the curse to the telling of the story. It is written in an interview format. A historian is interviewing the lost boys as old men about Peter and the war. As a result the dialogue doesn't flow like natural speech, but neither does it have the storyteller quality of a fairytale. There is a lack of magic in the telling. Tyler Jenkins artwork is occasionally beautiful, but frequently inconsistent. The character art is not fixed and can be difficult to distinguish between the Lost Boys, and while there are sporadic iconic frames the faces are not reliably emotive. The quality of the book, paper and coloring is excellent. Image Comics (Shadowline imprint) created an excellent collectable volume of a clever, charming concept.
December 4, 2014
Definitely didn't know what to expect with this one but I picked this up on a whim and was very surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Interesting story, great art, and at the back of the book they go through which panels were directly related to the peter pan. I found it fun to go through and find out how many references I was able to pick up on my own, and read about the ones I didn't. An easy 5 stars for me.
Only complaint is my copy has two pages that are the same. Looks like some kind of misprint and I think I am missing a page that makes it slightly confusing, but I can fill in the part I missed.
Only complaint is my copy has two pages that are the same. Looks like some kind of misprint and I think I am missing a page that makes it slightly confusing, but I can fill in the part I missed.
December 11, 2014
Peter Pan in WWII setting? Hook's a Nazi of course!
I loved stories which re-tell literature in a different era/setting such as the Flamel series by Michael Scott, and of course, Fables. It is therefore no surprise that this new series hit my heart.
I loved stories which re-tell literature in a different era/setting such as the Flamel series by Michael Scott, and of course, Fables. It is therefore no surprise that this new series hit my heart.
October 28, 2015
A great mix of Peter Pan and WWII, Peter Panzerfaust is great for any history lover, or someone who loves the old Peter Pan story. The authors did a great job bringing this mix together, and the art is very beautiful and matches the tone. Definitely worth reading if you haven't already!
October 21, 2015
An imaginative take on the Peter Pan story set in WWII. The story progresses with allusions to characters from the source, and the artwork continues to improve.
June 2, 2014
Boys beg for more graphic novels as well as more books set during WWII. This one fills both of those requests.
April 22, 2015
Enjoyable. My favorite part was the writer's notes at the back of the volume, pointing out all the nods to the original source material.
December 29, 2015
Comes shy of what I'd consider a 4. If I could rate it a 3.5 I would.
May 20, 2016
Awesome take on Peter Pan. Especially this edition since it has a list at the end of references to the original book. Most were easy to catch, but a could slipped by me.
September 17, 2016
Great adventure and a love for the source material.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews