The Serpent and the Beast

The Bad Guys #19

by Aaron Blabey

Now a major motion picture!

"I wish I'd had these books as a kid. Hilarious!" -- Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man

They may look like Bad Guys, but these wannabe heroes are doing good deeds... whether you like it or not in this New York Times bestselling illustrated series.

If their life was a series, this would be the end. Ready? The multiverse is about to get dark. Real dark ... It’s The Bad Guys, Episode 19.

The next installment in the hilarious Bad Guys series!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Humor, Animals

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2024

About the author

Aaron is an Australian author of children's books and artist who until the mid-2000s was also an actor. His award winning picture books include Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon and the best-selling Pig the Pug.

In the field of acting, he is probably best known for his lead roles in two television dramedies, 1994's The Damnation of Harvey McHugh, for which he won an Australian Film Institute Award, and 2003's CrashBurn, before retiring from performance in 2005.

Reviews

[Alicia]

My son enjoyed this, but for me it was simply another filler book in this world. Lots of zapping pages, and very repetitive action. And for a book with an entire blurb of If their life was a series, this would be THE END. Ready?” it’s entirely deceptive. Because it’s not the end. In fact, the end of the book says the next book is the end. It has basically lost all semblance of plot and point at this stage. I really do just want this series to be over.
Lots of characters thrown in this one (though not all of them. I don’t recall Shark or the dinosaur guy appearing this time, though I will readily admit it could just be me). There’s some more of the Snake/Wolf flashbacks, and we get some previously unknown information about them. Nothing important, but some random titbits. It almost has a moral coming across, but not enough to convince me this had a point.

[Jesse Baggs · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I enjoy “The Bad Guys” series as a whole, the last few volumes—ESPECIALLY this one—feel like padded money grabs. The narrative has been climaxing for the last four books but almost nothing has happened. Maybe the pacing will make more sense if you read the entire series in one or two sittings, but I bet Blakey could’ve told this story just as well in 15 volumes, or maybe even 10.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Moe and Cedric's friendship.

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The BGs’ story is finally coming to an end as after all of the crazy space adventures, it’s great to see them all getting their normal selves back despite its deus-ex-y miracle. Of course, not everyone makes it out in the beginning of the end. A- (91%/Excellent)

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thankful we only have one more in this series to go. I’ve loved them, but I think it’s time to wrap them up.

[Cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what part of me thought that this book was actually THE end, or that the ending would make any rational sense. XD It was a good book, though. And I'm glad we're starting to wrap things up.

[Bridget Neace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh...2.5-rounded up.

I'm hoping the final book will end on a higher note.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great series and my son and I are quite enjoying these books, but this and the last one felt a bit unnecessary.

[Parker DiPalma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book and I love it and I'm gonna read the whole series again one day cuz I don't care

[Jj Flynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehh when will this end???? I feel like this series could have ended books ago!

[Lacye Lawhon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cliff hanger??? Really dude?

[Hamish Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never ever read bad guys and I definitely found really entertaining but not really to intriguing plus it was a pretty short book but I’m definitely going to borrow some bad guys books from my brother’s collection. Highly recommend if you like the bad guys series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Apparently the next book will be the last one. I'm a little sad but mostly relieved. What a nonsensical journey this has been.

[Avery Swanstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book! Could not put it down!!

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all comes down to this... Or so we think. Big battle, big climax, big ending. My theory is there will be one more book.

[S.Ach · Rating 2 out of 5]

... Anticlimactic :(

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

It is of note that even the publisher's official listings do not give a synopsis of this story. Since my reading of the series has been spotty (1-7 and 10), I found myself at a little bit of a loss as to who some characters were and what was going on. Perhaps I should watch the Major Motion Picture in order to catch up.

Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake are bound and determined to break records and become hugely famous by robbing twenty one banks in twenty one days, but when they enter the bank, they are confronted with a giant needletoothed serpent who speaks in all capital demonic font and threatens to make them suffer. He and his multiple minions, however, are thwarted when new and improved versions of the original Bad Guys show up. They have all communed with The One, who has bestowed awesome powers on them, so they are now champions of time and space and have no limits. Legs now has a bit of Fidel Castro look and is known as The General. Mr. Snake's father Papa Alpha is a head in a jar. Joy is pure positive energy... but with laser eyes. The Hands of Magnificence are even larger sentient... butt cheeks? And Delores Gristlewurst, aka The Tiffinator, has Buck in a necklace as well as a fake eye patch. What was a short time for Mr. Wolf was eons for this group, who have arrived back just in the nick of time to help. There is an epic battle, and Papa Alpha turns their nemesis into a spoon. The Tiffinator uses her powers to reduce some of the other combatants to their essential selves, who are sweet and offer the Bad Guys cookies. There are a lot of battles, and each one is perhaps the last one... until it's not. In the tradition of Batman, there are zaps and arrs and urgghhhs galore, and eventually someone gets hurt. Mr. Wolf is on the ropes, refusing to join forces with evil, when the appearance of Milt saves him. Milt woobs up a storm until he calls (or becomes?) The One. Who now has a mullet. The One stops the fighting and tells Ellen that she is her hero. The minions all turn back into their true selves, which all seem to be younger, cuter versions of the Bad Guys. Everyone is ready to go home, but a last minute attack from the serpent leaves things in question, and makes book twenty a necessity.

The appeal of this series is, of course, the nonstop goofiness, and this book has that in spades. Readers who have devoured each book in the series multiple times (and I know many of these personally) will be able to identify the characters much better than I can, and will fully understand their plot and developmental arcs in a way that I don't. It was good to see that no matter what their incarnation, Wolf and Snake (Cedric) remain friends.

Like Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza or Angleberger's Two-Headed Chicken, the Bad Guys series was not written for old ladies like myself who were raised on Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. It was written for elementary school students who watch Tik Tok videos of exploding Mentos in cans of pop and learned to read from Krosoczka Lunch Lady books or Geronimo Stilton titles. As such, it is the perfect giggle producing book to read under the covers (by the light of a cell phone?) or to snigger over with friends. It's even better because the grown ups don't understand it!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
Hard to believe this is #19 in this series. The character drawings remain solid and interesting. However, the whole story was focused on one fight that saved most of the characters but still had a cliffhanger ending. So, this was not "the end" yet. The One made it just in time to save all of them from the master. Even Snake was rescued by Wolf. It was fun to learn the character's real names and Blabey chose a wide variety for them. Our readers enjoy the series but it is starting to stretch too long. Hopefully, the next volume will truly bring resolution.

[Jacob Shute · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good ending with MASSIVE plot twists! I really liked how it explained the backstory of the main characters. The characters also have completely changed between the first book and this one. I didn’t think that it was necessary to basically make Mr Wolf a being more powerful than the universe (but you never know with bad guys books). I like how that Wolf is now working with agent shortfuse and training to become THE ONE and protect the universe. Good book though. I really like the jokes in the 17 book it was very funny. Overall 4 stars.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been hooked on this series since my now 9 year old came home with one of the books from the library. We've made it our read aloud book throughout last year and this year. This book was a waste of a wait for it to get published. It's a filler book before the full finale of the series. Most of the last chapters were illustration action with very little dialogue. There was some character movement forward, but it's a weak book after waiting so long to read it.

[Jett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen I LOVE this series but, IT NEED's to end, all the book is now is fights. I really want it to end soon so I can keep this as my favorite series.





P.S I looked and saw another book coming out come on, I'm changing my rating too 2 stars

[Ellon · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars (It was okay)


BLOAAWWW + ZAP!!! x10000 = this book

seriously, it's mostly a big fight scene. I'm going to agree with other reviewers that it's time for this series to end. It's just getting drawn out. Thankfully, it seems like the next book (book 20) will be the last. It's time.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this one was so good. I was almost tearing up at parts! I'll be sad that the series is finishing with the next book, but at the same time I'm kind of glad it will be all wrapped up as it was getting insane.

[Kara]

My kids enjoy these but they are at this point absolutely dragging the books out to sell more. The first few were absolutely hilarious and enjoyable, and have since lost their way as the series progressed.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

We searched multiple libraries for this volume and couldn’t find it anywhere, so we purchased it and Lou threw it in one night. I slammed the cover shut in good humored disgust at the cliffhanger. We searched for the final volume, number 20 and regretted that we didn’t already have it in the house.

[Ellee Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copyright date:2024
Star rating: 4
Award: N/A
Genre: graphic novel
Summary w/ themes: this is the second to last book in the series, where we see the real bad guy and his ending.
Use for future classroom: good book to have in my library
Thoughts of book: I enjoyed this book

[Phøenix13 (Inactive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hehehehe Cedric.

On a more serious note, I love how no matter what happens in this series, Mr Wolf is undoubtedly the protagonist of this whole thing.

Also how did it take me this long to realise this series has one of the greatest found family tropes ever?

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Casey · Rating 2 out of 5]

One giant fight scene! It was pretty action packed but also quite ridiculous. But I am looking forward to the last novel to see how it all ends!

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

i am curious how much longer this comic will go? as usual it gets really good and ends. boo hoo. cute. but i am ready for some wild or crazy to happen. u know??!