What do you think?
Rate this book
Bad Machinery #2
Bad Machinery Volume Two: The Case of the Good Boy
Everyone's favorite preteen British detectives are back for another case! With toddlers disappearing and rumors of a large, beast-like creature roaming the woods, Tackleford is in serious danger. And then there's Mildred's new dog Archibald... if you can even call it a dog. After all, what kind of dog drinks tea out of a cup? Everything comes to a head once the boys get a picture of the beast and Archibald goes missing. Is there a connection? And what does it all have to do with the magic pencil Mildred won from a carnie con game? The second installment of John Allison's award-winning webcomic series in print!
136 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2014
28 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
About the author
John Allison
320 books829 followersJohn Allison is the author and artist of the British webcomics Scary Go Round and Bad Machinery.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
Read
October 20, 2014John Allison steps up to fill the shoes of the classic British schoolkid stories – like the Famous Five by Enid Blyton – except in the modern day, which means that everything is funnier and also a comic.
Plus! Yetis!
Plus! Yetis!
March 3, 2017
You can read this series for free at Allison’s website.
http://scarygoround.com/index.php?dat...
I read the stories in a big floppy paperback reprint, the second such collection of the webcomic. Sort of an answer to the question of who is writing today’s Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew? (Or if you are British, Famous Five by Enid Blyton?) Bad Machinery is (to me) oddly titled, but it is a series of mysteries for tweens or teens. Very British humor, with lots of cultural references he doesn’t care if Chicagoans get. Relax, have fun, laugh anyway. Beast on the loose, eating toddlers, oh! Girls at fault? Will the boys solve it this time? Involves (not just girls as in Nancy Drew or boys as in Hardy Boys) a set of three girls and three boys, a matched set.
And Mildred's new dog Archibald. . . . that doesn’t really seem to be a dog, that drinks tea out of a cup. It’s important that we know Mildred has won a magic pencil at a carnival, there’s bullies. But the main thing to know is that Allison is very funny, with gags on every page. He draws very well! And the characters, if a little snarky at times, are at base very warm and sweet. It’s about relationships and jokes, really. And not just for kids (consider reviewer as source).
http://scarygoround.com/index.php?dat...
I read the stories in a big floppy paperback reprint, the second such collection of the webcomic. Sort of an answer to the question of who is writing today’s Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew? (Or if you are British, Famous Five by Enid Blyton?) Bad Machinery is (to me) oddly titled, but it is a series of mysteries for tweens or teens. Very British humor, with lots of cultural references he doesn’t care if Chicagoans get. Relax, have fun, laugh anyway. Beast on the loose, eating toddlers, oh! Girls at fault? Will the boys solve it this time? Involves (not just girls as in Nancy Drew or boys as in Hardy Boys) a set of three girls and three boys, a matched set.
And Mildred's new dog Archibald. . . . that doesn’t really seem to be a dog, that drinks tea out of a cup. It’s important that we know Mildred has won a magic pencil at a carnival, there’s bullies. But the main thing to know is that Allison is very funny, with gags on every page. He draws very well! And the characters, if a little snarky at times, are at base very warm and sweet. It’s about relationships and jokes, really. And not just for kids (consider reviewer as source).
January 29, 2016
These ungainly volumes* are just delightful -- smart, silly, and oh so very British. Good fun all around! I can't wait for Clare to be old enough for these.
*My only complaint -- I assume the books are done in a sort of landscape format because the illustrations can be bigger, but they're not very portable...
*My only complaint -- I assume the books are done in a sort of landscape format because the illustrations can be bigger, but they're not very portable...
April 21, 2020
Read via Kindle Unlimited!
This is the second graphic novel volume of the Bad Machinery series following a group of students at a grammar school solving mysteries. This mystery involves mysterious creatures and young toddlers from a nursery disappearing with rumours of a large beast taking them. With one of the students wins a magic pencil, she draws some illustrations for fun, however, they might have contributed to the vanishing toddlers. I preferred this volume to the first one since the story-line was filled with more plot twists and better illustrations. I hope to carry on with the series at some stage!
This is the second graphic novel volume of the Bad Machinery series following a group of students at a grammar school solving mysteries. This mystery involves mysterious creatures and young toddlers from a nursery disappearing with rumours of a large beast taking them. With one of the students wins a magic pencil, she draws some illustrations for fun, however, they might have contributed to the vanishing toddlers. I preferred this volume to the first one since the story-line was filled with more plot twists and better illustrations. I hope to carry on with the series at some stage!
July 21, 2017
Loved it. These characters make me smile. Fun story,
great dialogue.
Charlotte's glossaries are not to be missed. And I loved that the scientific name for all but one of the creatures in the Rare Animal Encyclopedia at the end of the book was Bombus Bombus.
great dialogue.
Charlotte's glossaries are not to be missed. And I loved that the scientific name for all but one of the creatures in the Rare Animal Encyclopedia at the end of the book was Bombus Bombus.
Read
February 22, 2020It was really funny except all the toddlers got eaten by a bear?
May 25, 2014
'Bad Machinery #2: The Case of The Good Boy' is a strangely named volume since there are no bad machines (though this is the name of the webcomic), and I'm not sure what the case might be referring to. What you will find, is a charming collection of hilarious characters that live in a world where occasional strange things could happen.
There is a series of disappearances and a strange large beast lurking in the woods. There is a magic pencil at a fair that must be won. Apparently whatever is drawn with the pencil comes true. When Mildred draws a strange picture of a dog, it seemingly shows up at her house. Combine a strange new pet, a series of mysterious disappearances, young love, and some really funny dialogue and you have a quirky, fun story.
John Allison's writing is fun. It took me a few pages to get into the rhythm of the dialogue, I really enjoyed it.
I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this fun graphic novel.
There is a series of disappearances and a strange large beast lurking in the woods. There is a magic pencil at a fair that must be won. Apparently whatever is drawn with the pencil comes true. When Mildred draws a strange picture of a dog, it seemingly shows up at her house. Combine a strange new pet, a series of mysterious disappearances, young love, and some really funny dialogue and you have a quirky, fun story.
John Allison's writing is fun. It took me a few pages to get into the rhythm of the dialogue, I really enjoyed it.
I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this fun graphic novel.
December 15, 2018
So funny and weird and delightful!!
May 10, 2014
If anybody were to ask me to stock a graphic novel section for their school library, Bad Machinery books one and two are the first books that I would order, and I wouldn't even have to take a moment to think about it. Bad Machinery is the obscurely named but delightfully penned kid-detective series by John Allison, creator of Scary-Go-Round, Giant Days, and Bobbins. While his other works focus on more adult characters dealing with more adult situations, Bad Machinery is about growing up, moreso than the often fantastical mysteries that the main characters tackle along with all the problems that growing up brings.
With book one of Bad Machinery, The Case of the Team Spirit, having laid much of the groundwork for the setting already, The Case of the Good Boy plunges right into the action, making no attempt to disguise the fantastical features of the case du jour. A beast on the loose in Tackleford, a missing magical pencil, and a very good dog will both perplex and amuse readers, while in the background, class issues, friendship troubles, and bullying are all neatly and sensitively dealt with. Looking back at The Case of the Good Boy from the point that the web-version of the comic is at, it's rewarding to see just how much material there is to make you love the protagonists and the strange world they live in right from the get-go. The Case of The Good Boy is one of my favourite Bad Machinery stories, and a strong second installment in an excellent series. The quality of the story in and of itself makes it more than worth buying a physical copy, but the extra content in the graphic novel makes it even better.
With book one of Bad Machinery, The Case of the Team Spirit, having laid much of the groundwork for the setting already, The Case of the Good Boy plunges right into the action, making no attempt to disguise the fantastical features of the case du jour. A beast on the loose in Tackleford, a missing magical pencil, and a very good dog will both perplex and amuse readers, while in the background, class issues, friendship troubles, and bullying are all neatly and sensitively dealt with. Looking back at The Case of the Good Boy from the point that the web-version of the comic is at, it's rewarding to see just how much material there is to make you love the protagonists and the strange world they live in right from the get-go. The Case of The Good Boy is one of my favourite Bad Machinery stories, and a strong second installment in an excellent series. The quality of the story in and of itself makes it more than worth buying a physical copy, but the extra content in the graphic novel makes it even better.
July 18, 2019
Very odd.
This is the second book in the Bad Machinery series by John Allison. We discovered this comic series and while we can't always relate to the English Public school themes, the teen angst is universal.
The illustrations are cartoonish and the characters are very quirky and expressive. I love the colorful scenes and the large-size landscape orientation of the book is distinctive. Overall, this book offers an odd, but entertaining mystery and we really like it. I'm sure we'll borrow the next volumes soon.
interesting quotes:
"A good teacher I figure should be sort of unpleasant, but reliable." (p. 35)
"The babies of today are idiots, but tomorrow they could be scientists." (p. 66)
This is the second book in the Bad Machinery series by John Allison. We discovered this comic series and while we can't always relate to the English Public school themes, the teen angst is universal.
The illustrations are cartoonish and the characters are very quirky and expressive. I love the colorful scenes and the large-size landscape orientation of the book is distinctive. Overall, this book offers an odd, but entertaining mystery and we really like it. I'm sure we'll borrow the next volumes soon.
interesting quotes:
"A good teacher I figure should be sort of unpleasant, but reliable." (p. 35)
"The babies of today are idiots, but tomorrow they could be scientists." (p. 66)
May 24, 2018
John Allison comics are like Cary Grant or Katharine Hepburn films. The characters all speak in idiosyncratic, somewhat unnatural ways, but their timing is so perfect, their wit so sharp, and their idiom so charmingly sui generis, that the effect is just to make me wish that this could be how everyone spoke in real life.
When Scary Go Round ended, I was so sad that I couldn't get right into Bad Machinery, convinced that all its differences from that strip were terrible flaws, etc. But they weren't. Bad Machinery didn't even have a rocky start, as some people portrayed it. It was great right off the bat. I just wasn't ready for something so characteristically Allisonian that wasn't still all about the same cast of characters that I'd grown to love.
When Scary Go Round ended, I was so sad that I couldn't get right into Bad Machinery, convinced that all its differences from that strip were terrible flaws, etc. But they weren't. Bad Machinery didn't even have a rocky start, as some people portrayed it. It was great right off the bat. I just wasn't ready for something so characteristically Allisonian that wasn't still all about the same cast of characters that I'd grown to love.
May 28, 2014
I had previously read this story online, of course, as I am a huge fan of Bad Machinery. That was a few years ago, probably. Then I bought this book and read it all over again in one sitting.
MAN do I love this comic. I love the art, I love the characters, I love what they say. I laughed out loud many times. I love Archibald. And Amy, and Ryan. I just really adore this comic more than any other comic ever.
Like the previous book, this is, physically speaking, bee-yoo-tee-full. The colors are bright and crisp, the pages are BIG and shiny and I love to run my hands over it. Just a lovely, lovely thing.
MAN do I love this comic. I love the art, I love the characters, I love what they say. I laughed out loud many times. I love Archibald. And Amy, and Ryan. I just really adore this comic more than any other comic ever.
Like the previous book, this is, physically speaking, bee-yoo-tee-full. The colors are bright and crisp, the pages are BIG and shiny and I love to run my hands over it. Just a lovely, lovely thing.
Read
August 29, 2015Oh goodness, this is amazing. Anyone who grew up nowhere in particular in Britain will recognise the half-arsed bullying and the crushes and the teasing and the grand schemes in all their heartbreak and hilarity. The magic pencil and the mysterious toddler-eating beast...well, round our way it was more yer classic aliens and haunted house, but the principle is the same. The closest thing I've ever read to a UK Blue Monday, albeit far less sexy because hello, suburban Britain.
Read
May 27, 2023Another charming visit to the wonderful world of Tackleford. Allison's writing is so sharp, even idiosyncratic, and he makes the characters and their exploits so much fun to read about. His knack for one-liners is unparalleled (Brian Clevinger on Atomic Robo comes close, but his jokes lack the quirky charm of Allison's). This time: bullying, smoking at school, magic pencils, and a toddler-eating creature. Also: "Scott Walker, Tilt on Ice."
I think Bad Machinery is still available in its original form online, but I prefer reading collected volumes, which contain welcome bonus content.
I think Bad Machinery is still available in its original form online, but I prefer reading collected volumes, which contain welcome bonus content.
December 26, 2020
More bonkers web-comic goodness about six pre-teens, a magic pencil, a wild wendigo and some kidnapped babies. Everything about this works for me from the ridiculous size of the book to the barmy childhood conversations and worn out parents. I would love to find the rest of these at reasonable prices.
August 10, 2016
Sharp, Sly and Good Natured
This book is the second collection of strips from John Allison's web comic "Bad Machinery", which is itself a spinoff from his earlier online strip "Scary Go Round". The premise is that two groups of high schoolers, one group of three girls, and one group of three boys, get together to solve mysteries that have a vaguely supernatural flavor. The action is set in a medium sized town somewhere in England. This book covers one complete mystery, but there are loads of unrelated sub plots and threads, many of which are as much fun as the mystery.
There are a lot of good reasons for the strip's popularity. While the book follows just one mystery, the collection really reflects multiple story lines. First, of course, is the mystery that arcs through the whole book. (Here, toddlers are disappearing, although as DCI Carver notes, "There are thousands of children...but only nine have vanished....We urge people not to become hysterical if they can possibly avoid it."). Next, though, the series is seasoned by "one off" jokes and bits that only take a strip or two or three to set up a laugh. Finally, there are issues, characters and relationships that are developed in this series but that will continue to appear and develop in later books as well. Each kid has family issues and school issues and personal issues that pop up from time to time. This adds a lot of depth and interest to the whole undertaking, and reminds me very strongly of "Doonesbury", which followed a very similar pattern.
Also in the style of "Doonesbury", Allison has a real command of "minimalist" or succinct humor. You only get a few panels per strip, and only so many words. You have to set up a situation, work it, and then deliver a payoff with just a few drawings and a few well chosen words. Some of the best laughs are deadpan throwaway lines. That is just brutally difficult to do, (think of how many bad imitators of artist/humorist Gary Larson's "Far Side" are out there), and Allison pulls it off brilliantly.
Plus, each of the six teens, and almost all of the secondary characters, (parents, teachers), are individually realized and engaging. Within a few pages this is not a comicbook, but as compelling as any YA novel. Added to that is the fact that the dialogue is fast, sharp, and witty, and yet generous. It is not snarky or mean spirited, and is ultimately good-natured, if a bit edgy. As a result you end up liking these people as much as they like each other and sympathizing with their various predicaments and foibles. (Again, echoes of "Doonesbury".)
So, a light authorial touch, insight, humor, and engaging characters. Just keep these collection volumes coming.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to the author or the publisher of this book.
This book is the second collection of strips from John Allison's web comic "Bad Machinery", which is itself a spinoff from his earlier online strip "Scary Go Round". The premise is that two groups of high schoolers, one group of three girls, and one group of three boys, get together to solve mysteries that have a vaguely supernatural flavor. The action is set in a medium sized town somewhere in England. This book covers one complete mystery, but there are loads of unrelated sub plots and threads, many of which are as much fun as the mystery.
There are a lot of good reasons for the strip's popularity. While the book follows just one mystery, the collection really reflects multiple story lines. First, of course, is the mystery that arcs through the whole book. (Here, toddlers are disappearing, although as DCI Carver notes, "There are thousands of children...but only nine have vanished....We urge people not to become hysterical if they can possibly avoid it."). Next, though, the series is seasoned by "one off" jokes and bits that only take a strip or two or three to set up a laugh. Finally, there are issues, characters and relationships that are developed in this series but that will continue to appear and develop in later books as well. Each kid has family issues and school issues and personal issues that pop up from time to time. This adds a lot of depth and interest to the whole undertaking, and reminds me very strongly of "Doonesbury", which followed a very similar pattern.
Also in the style of "Doonesbury", Allison has a real command of "minimalist" or succinct humor. You only get a few panels per strip, and only so many words. You have to set up a situation, work it, and then deliver a payoff with just a few drawings and a few well chosen words. Some of the best laughs are deadpan throwaway lines. That is just brutally difficult to do, (think of how many bad imitators of artist/humorist Gary Larson's "Far Side" are out there), and Allison pulls it off brilliantly.
Plus, each of the six teens, and almost all of the secondary characters, (parents, teachers), are individually realized and engaging. Within a few pages this is not a comicbook, but as compelling as any YA novel. Added to that is the fact that the dialogue is fast, sharp, and witty, and yet generous. It is not snarky or mean spirited, and is ultimately good-natured, if a bit edgy. As a result you end up liking these people as much as they like each other and sympathizing with their various predicaments and foibles. (Again, echoes of "Doonesbury".)
So, a light authorial touch, insight, humor, and engaging characters. Just keep these collection volumes coming.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to the author or the publisher of this book.
September 19, 2016
Toddlers are disappearing and there are rumors of a large, beast-like creature roaming the woods. This definitely sounds like a case for a bunch of pre-teen middle schoolers.
Still super cute and this time the story hangs together even if it's completely nuts. The Good Boy of the title is a doodle brought to life and firmly in whatever the opposite of the Uncanny Valley is, while still being horrifyingly uncanny. It's just wrong. But it's the kind of wrong that fits perfectly into this universe where weird shit happens and no one questions it too much. The art alone makes this worth your time, but the characters are diverse and likeable, too, and their friendships remain central to the story, enduring petty squabbles and the strain of growing up. The adults actually had something to do—which wasn't the case in the previous volume—and they fit nicely into the story, a part of it, rather than an afterthought. I liked this a lot better than the first volume, and I'm glad I kept reading.
Deals with bullying, and maybe a warning for animal harm, and also child harm because now that I think of it, not all those babies got returned.
Still super cute and this time the story hangs together even if it's completely nuts. The Good Boy of the title is a doodle brought to life and firmly in whatever the opposite of the Uncanny Valley is, while still being horrifyingly uncanny. It's just wrong. But it's the kind of wrong that fits perfectly into this universe where weird shit happens and no one questions it too much. The art alone makes this worth your time, but the characters are diverse and likeable, too, and their friendships remain central to the story, enduring petty squabbles and the strain of growing up. The adults actually had something to do—which wasn't the case in the previous volume—and they fit nicely into the story, a part of it, rather than an afterthought. I liked this a lot better than the first volume, and I'm glad I kept reading.
Deals with bullying, and maybe a warning for animal harm, and also child harm because now that I think of it, not all those babies got returned.
February 14, 2024
I grew up reading Enid Blyton books and I love a good mystery story with kid detectives. Well, Bad Machinery delivers that and a whole lot more besides in comic book form.
These stories are funny - hilariously so at times. The characters have clear and individual personalities, which makes a lot of difference to the stories. They are real kids. With the same types of problems and issues as real kids, and they can be as annoying as real kids too. But they're good kids - fundamentally decent ones.
I also love their town - middle England but with a twist. A great twist.
And their school comes across as so school like too.
Many of the adult characters, though in a largely supporting role in Bad Machinery, are from John Allison's earlier comics, and because of that have fully developed personalities as well. You may not always see them, but the fact they come across as real as well, matters.
I can't recommend this comic more highly.
These stories are funny - hilariously so at times. The characters have clear and individual personalities, which makes a lot of difference to the stories. They are real kids. With the same types of problems and issues as real kids, and they can be as annoying as real kids too. But they're good kids - fundamentally decent ones.
I also love their town - middle England but with a twist. A great twist.
And their school comes across as so school like too.
Many of the adult characters, though in a largely supporting role in Bad Machinery, are from John Allison's earlier comics, and because of that have fully developed personalities as well. You may not always see them, but the fact they come across as real as well, matters.
I can't recommend this comic more highly.
May 29, 2019
Very fun... and often funny. If you read this, check out the glossary at the end first... it will enlighten you to the meaning of some particularly British expressions used in this graphic novel... such as pash, for example... You can read the novel first and the glossary after, but I wish I had read it first
... it’s not long (a couple of pages) and it is done in a very clever and funny way (cheeky). The entire novel is cheeky :)
... it’s not long (a couple of pages) and it is done in a very clever and funny way (cheeky). The entire novel is cheeky :)
April 22, 2016
Mildred wins a magic pencil and draws herself up a very weird dog. Children are disappearing and a beast is on the loose, attracting the attention of a famous hunter. Jack is being bullied and someone burns down the cricket pavilion, and it's more hilarious and charming and slightly surreal antics from the rival mystery solving teams of Tackleford. One of my favourite webcomics has produced what are now some of my favourite books.
October 11, 2014
John Allison is the greatest comic artist in the UK, the world even, MAYBE EVEN THE UNIVERSE? He is like the cool version of Midas where everything he touches turns to AWESOME and it won't even kill or maim you or whatevs. So let's all help support him by reading this book because unlike the terrifying version of Midas, his gift is not inherently monetarily valuable.
May 9, 2014
Bad Machinery is hands down the best webcomic I have read, on multiple levels. Allison's talent for writing witty and effortlessly natural dialogue cannot be overstated,and the expressivity of his characters' faces and gestures is incredible. This is a grade-A book, and not just because it has a wendigo in it. (But the wendigo is very important.)
February 1, 2021
Enjoyed this second volume much more than the first, perhaps because we've had a chance to get to know the crew. Drawings were just as cute as the last. And I definitely agree it could be akin to the Famous Five or Secret Seven for a new generation, although, having said that, the plot is a bit more meandering than a straightforward F.F book.
Read
August 30, 2021Hey, Hi, Hello, How is everyone doing?
I can not believe this week is going to be September! I am super excited for the start of fall (and maybe already have a few fall decorations up around my place)! Fall and winter are my favorite seasons so whenever I get to these seasons I always get more and more excited! Last week I decided that I really wanted to pick up a few more graphic novels before the end of the year. I love reading graphic novels and I have been listening to so many audiobooks this year (which is a great thing, it is really helping to clear my TBR) but I have been missing graphic novels and manga a lot! So I used my Hoopla August borrows to snag a ton of graphic novels! Some were the next in the series I was currently reading while others are new series or stand-alone that I would like to try! One of the graphic novels I picked up was the next Bad Machinery! This is by the same author as Giant Days, and we all know I have a massive soft spot for Giant Days. It is eternally one of my top three favorite graphic novel series of all time. I constantly want to reread it and despite it being declared done, always hope for more. So I decided to start reading the author’s other works. I have tried Wicked Things (which I love and truly hope we get some character appearances) and Steeple (I am eagerly awaiting the next volume)! So I decided it was time to pick up volume two of Bad Machinery!
SPOILERS AHEAD
Toddlers are going missing! A local daycare has had several toddlers go missing recently and on top of that, there is believed to be a weird creature hanging out in the woods. Our group of teen detectives both with drastically different motives decide to take a look at things. The boys hunting for the beast and the girl’s focusing more on this weird dog that has shown up and becomes a part of their lives. Even moving in with one of them as their pet, but he is less like a dog and more like a human. Can the groups solve the cases? What is this new dog? Who is taking the toddlers?
I absolutely enjoy these graphic novels, I admitted when I read the first one that I felt a little lost at first with all the new characters but it came together beautifully and I feel like this one just started off running now that you had that back story. You already had the foundations of the relationships and knew about the girls group and the boys group as well as their mystery solving. I love seeing a young Charlotte and then reading Wicked Things now and seeing her appearances in Giant Days. It just warms my heart and makes me love these graphic novels all the more! I can not wait to see what adventures the group has next!
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
P.S. I do have hopes that a certain friendship might become more later on!
September 6, 2021
This is a review for all 10 volumes of Bad Machinery, which I read consecutively. Each of the volumes warrants a top review, but it is the opinion of this reviewer that the series should be read all at once for maximum effect.
Welcome to Tackleford, England, a low-to-middling “town full of mysteries” typically solved by the Mystery Kids, a sextet of 11-year-old students at Griswalds Grammar School. The boys—Linton, Jack and Sonny often work in parallel to the girls—Lottie, Shauna and Mildred—but sometimes also as mild rivals, and often unwitting allies. Chockablock with wirtty dialogue, great laughs and characters who you will certainly grow to love. Bad Machinery begins as a kind of deeply English homage to both Harry Potter and Scooby-Doo, but evolves into a terrific character comedy and some coming-of-age drama along the way.
Written and illustrated by John Allison, Bad Machinery feels rather close to his other work, especially the fantastic Giant Days (which is essentially Bad Machinery set in college rather than high school), but that’s alright. Once this story really finds its footing in the second volume, it’s a consistently excellent ride to the finish, as we watch our heroes grow up, grow wiser, and in some cases, grow apart. It’s a story teased out in tiny increments, page by page, betraying its webcomic origins. But Bad Machinery very shows why it’s won the armloads of awards to its name, and for those willing to give it a little room to breathe and get on its wavelength, there is some immense fun and terrific storytelling in store. Teen-appropriate, but be warned, American readers, if you’re not up on your English slang, you’ll miss a few of the jokes.
Bottom line, if you love any of John Allison’s other work, you’ll love this.
Welcome to Tackleford, England, a low-to-middling “town full of mysteries” typically solved by the Mystery Kids, a sextet of 11-year-old students at Griswalds Grammar School. The boys—Linton, Jack and Sonny often work in parallel to the girls—Lottie, Shauna and Mildred—but sometimes also as mild rivals, and often unwitting allies. Chockablock with wirtty dialogue, great laughs and characters who you will certainly grow to love. Bad Machinery begins as a kind of deeply English homage to both Harry Potter and Scooby-Doo, but evolves into a terrific character comedy and some coming-of-age drama along the way.
Written and illustrated by John Allison, Bad Machinery feels rather close to his other work, especially the fantastic Giant Days (which is essentially Bad Machinery set in college rather than high school), but that’s alright. Once this story really finds its footing in the second volume, it’s a consistently excellent ride to the finish, as we watch our heroes grow up, grow wiser, and in some cases, grow apart. It’s a story teased out in tiny increments, page by page, betraying its webcomic origins. But Bad Machinery very shows why it’s won the armloads of awards to its name, and for those willing to give it a little room to breathe and get on its wavelength, there is some immense fun and terrific storytelling in store. Teen-appropriate, but be warned, American readers, if you’re not up on your English slang, you’ll miss a few of the jokes.
Bottom line, if you love any of John Allison’s other work, you’ll love this.
March 4, 2019
These stories are delightfully weird & perfect when read online (I was right in that I enjoyed it immensely on a screen as opposed to an over-sized book). You can read this one HERE.
These stories follow the adventures of a group of jr high kids through their school years. They kids get older, friendships fade & are repaired, and they continually come up against the supernatural.
The writing is awesome, I love the illustrations, and I highly recommend you start reading these!
These stories follow the adventures of a group of jr high kids through their school years. They kids get older, friendships fade & are repaired, and they continually come up against the supernatural.
The writing is awesome, I love the illustrations, and I highly recommend you start reading these!
August 14, 2023
I love this series already, and I'm only two volumes in! The characters, their personalities and relationships, are so believable and relatable (as the kids say), and the adventures tip just enough into the supernatural to be super fun. In this outing, the kids deal with a set of creatures -- the Tackleford beast eats children, and Mildred's new "dog," well, is it really a dog at all? And what is this magic pencil that Mildred is so eager to win in a carnival game? Can it really help them all figure out about the beast?
March 12, 2022
Weird dogs, magic pencils, and disappearing children make for an eclectic assortment of topics to surround our protagonists, but they pull together nicely as the school children also deal with bullies, hunters, early relationships, and camping. The series is as charming as ever, with Shauna and Jack carrying the main story, but everyone getting moments to shine. If you've read Allison's other series, you'll know what you're getting into here. Very much enjoyed.
October 29, 2017
I am such a John Allison fan, and this is another brilliant and totally bonkers story about schoolkid detectives solving supernatural crimes. 10+
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
February 13, 2018
I think I actually enjoyed this one slightly better than the first. It was a bit silly, but in a really enjoyable way. I found myself snickering a couple of times, but mostly it was just a nice and relaxing way to spend some time. Looking forward to book 3, and seeing how the characters' relationships develop with each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews