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SubZero #1
SubZero Vol. 1
From debut creator Antonia Crupa, also known as Junepurrr, comes the first printed edition of the smash-hit Webtoon SubZero!
To save her people, Princess Clove will have to do the unthinkable—marry her greatest enemy!
Clove is the last remaining heir of her Cerulean Dragon clan, fighting in a seemingly endless 300-year-war against the vast Crimson Empire. With no end to the war in sight, Clove agrees to leave her sheltered homeland in favor of a political marriage with the heir to the enemy Crimson Dragon clan, Prince Kyro.
Raised on the battlefields and feared by his rivals, the cutthroat prince is first to notice that Clove is hiding a dangerous secret she’s been working tirelessly to protect.
As tensions rise between these unlikely allies, the fragile peace brokered by their marriage is threatened by those who wish to continue the war. Now fighting in the world of her enemies and fighting a surprising attraction to Kyro, Clove discovers that achieving peace is far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.
Collecting episodes 0–25 of the Webtoon series, with all new back matter material for fans!
To save her people, Princess Clove will have to do the unthinkable—marry her greatest enemy!
Clove is the last remaining heir of her Cerulean Dragon clan, fighting in a seemingly endless 300-year-war against the vast Crimson Empire. With no end to the war in sight, Clove agrees to leave her sheltered homeland in favor of a political marriage with the heir to the enemy Crimson Dragon clan, Prince Kyro.
Raised on the battlefields and feared by his rivals, the cutthroat prince is first to notice that Clove is hiding a dangerous secret she’s been working tirelessly to protect.
As tensions rise between these unlikely allies, the fragile peace brokered by their marriage is threatened by those who wish to continue the war. Now fighting in the world of her enemies and fighting a surprising attraction to Kyro, Clove discovers that achieving peace is far more dangerous than she could have ever imagined.
Collecting episodes 0–25 of the Webtoon series, with all new back matter material for fans!
328 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 2024
43 people are currently reading
799 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
October 13, 2025
So good! The ending was criminal I need book 2.
—-•pre read
Recommended by my beauty twin Krysta 🤭 the colours are so vibrant 😍
—-•pre read
Recommended by my beauty twin Krysta 🤭 the colours are so vibrant 😍
July 21, 2024
It took me a minute to finish this one, but only because I got distracted by my physical copies of books and I only had this digitally. But it was soooo good!!! I was interested from the start with Clove being betrothed to Kyro in order to stop the current war, which has been going on for some time. The characters are volatile together and it’s so much fun reading each of their scenes that they have together. Especially that first one!!! So exciting!!
I also love the dragon aspect of the graphic novel as it’s very interesting and unique. I also have a soft spot for Zephyr and Aaron. I love Kharis too because she’s so fierce!!! I definitely don’t like Kirra, but maybe I just don’t know her well enough yet. Otherwise, I thought almost all the characters were fun and intriguing to read about.
And the art is so fabulous!!! The colors and attention to detail just about did me in!! It’s seriously a gorgeous read and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to pick it up!! Each character is beautiful in their own way and the scenery is lovely as well.
I highly recommend this to graphic novel lovers who enjoy dragons, slow burn romance, and passion. Lots of wonderful passion!! This story will hook you and have you yearning for the next installation in the series.
I also love the dragon aspect of the graphic novel as it’s very interesting and unique. I also have a soft spot for Zephyr and Aaron. I love Kharis too because she’s so fierce!!! I definitely don’t like Kirra, but maybe I just don’t know her well enough yet. Otherwise, I thought almost all the characters were fun and intriguing to read about.
And the art is so fabulous!!! The colors and attention to detail just about did me in!! It’s seriously a gorgeous read and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to pick it up!! Each character is beautiful in their own way and the scenery is lovely as well.
I highly recommend this to graphic novel lovers who enjoy dragons, slow burn romance, and passion. Lots of wonderful passion!! This story will hook you and have you yearning for the next installation in the series.
June 17, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Oni press for this arc! 💙
Princess Clove agrees to marry her enemy, prince Kyro, to stop a 300-year-war between their kingdoms. With different entities that do not wish for this marriage to bring peace to these nations, the complicated relationship between the two main characters, and more characters that are working from the shadows, this proves to be an intriguing story.
I read this in one sitting because I could NOT put it down. The first volume of subzero had a great introduction for the characters and the world building. This volume was more of a set up for the entire plot than anything else, and it promises to be an epic tale. I loved the humor, as well as the chemistry and the different dynamics of these characters. Plus, the art was absolutely gorgeous and eye-catching. I can't wait to read more!
Princess Clove agrees to marry her enemy, prince Kyro, to stop a 300-year-war between their kingdoms. With different entities that do not wish for this marriage to bring peace to these nations, the complicated relationship between the two main characters, and more characters that are working from the shadows, this proves to be an intriguing story.
I read this in one sitting because I could NOT put it down. The first volume of subzero had a great introduction for the characters and the world building. This volume was more of a set up for the entire plot than anything else, and it promises to be an epic tale. I loved the humor, as well as the chemistry and the different dynamics of these characters. Plus, the art was absolutely gorgeous and eye-catching. I can't wait to read more!
November 18, 2024
The artwork on this is GORGEOUS. I'm not a huge fan of court intrigue and politics, but if you are, then this should be an insta-grab for you. My Roomie LOVED this so much she was trying to get it signed by the author. Definitely one I would recommend as a Christmas gift list addition for the manga/manhwa fan who likes courtly intrigue and enemies to lovers vibes.
3, not my fav plot line but the artwork was second to none, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an eARC of this to read and review.
3, not my fav plot line but the artwork was second to none, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an eARC of this to read and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I'm OBSESSED!!
I'm OBSESSED!!
May 4, 2024
I've been a fan of this story for such a long time, I was so excited to read volume one! Exactly the vibes I remember, beautiful art, beautiful people, interesting story. I cannot wait for Volume 2.
*ARC review
*ARC review
September 14, 2024
This is mostly my fault since I didn’t bother to read the description before reading, but this one really wasn’t for me.
My first impression of the story was, ‘Oh, so this is basically Twilight but with dragons instead of vampires’. And honestly, after reading the whole book, my opinion hasn’t changed. Clove is an okay character. I appreciate that she’s not easily swayed by good looks and a ‘tragic past’. But I did think the love triangle between her, and ‘Headband’ is really unnecessary and honestly just annoying. Please, I beg you comic writers, stop coming up with red flag boys and then making the girl pick the flashier of the two. It’s really shallow and honestly overdone and annoying.
Kyro gave a bad impression in the beginning. I’m still not sure if I’ll ever like him. He starts off a jerk who threatens the FL and then suddenly turns into a half-way decent person? I don’t know, I found his sudden character switch jarring and a little unbelievable. I think the only person I really liked in the story was the prince’s sister. She seemed clever and caring, and just trying to make things right.
On the other hand, the art is beautiful. Junepurrr is a talented artists and I really enjoyed the Chinese clothing and culture. (Kyro’s outfit made me think of Zuko from ATLA which made me laugh).
It’s by no means a terrible story. I am really interested to know more about why the war started in the first place and why Clove is trying so hard to suppress her abilities. But the romance is a huge turn-off for me so I doubt I’ll finish the series.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the author for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
My first impression of the story was, ‘Oh, so this is basically Twilight but with dragons instead of vampires’. And honestly, after reading the whole book, my opinion hasn’t changed. Clove is an okay character. I appreciate that she’s not easily swayed by good looks and a ‘tragic past’. But I did think the love triangle between her, and ‘Headband’ is really unnecessary and honestly just annoying. Please, I beg you comic writers, stop coming up with red flag boys and then making the girl pick the flashier of the two. It’s really shallow and honestly overdone and annoying.
Kyro gave a bad impression in the beginning. I’m still not sure if I’ll ever like him. He starts off a jerk who threatens the FL and then suddenly turns into a half-way decent person? I don’t know, I found his sudden character switch jarring and a little unbelievable. I think the only person I really liked in the story was the prince’s sister. She seemed clever and caring, and just trying to make things right.
On the other hand, the art is beautiful. Junepurrr is a talented artists and I really enjoyed the Chinese clothing and culture. (Kyro’s outfit made me think of Zuko from ATLA which made me laugh).
It’s by no means a terrible story. I am really interested to know more about why the war started in the first place and why Clove is trying so hard to suppress her abilities. But the romance is a huge turn-off for me so I doubt I’ll finish the series.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the author for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 14, 2025
I love this art style and the story is hitting all my favorite tropes so far. I'm excited to continue with the next volume!!
March 1, 2025
I love this one. It was beautiful. I loved the story, and the artwork is out of this world. I need the next book right now.
May 15, 2024
This is me trying to get into the Comic/Graphic Novels because as much as I am a word addict, I am also a visual person. I always jump on Pinterest to try and find the perfect fanart or description.
But at the end of the day, THIS IS A BOOK, and I have to review it as such. So, first, a thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Oni-Press for auto-approving me for their ARCs.
⚜Genre: High Fantasy
⚜Theme: Fantasy Romance
⚜Targeted audience: 15+
⚜Characters: Princess Clove, Prince Kyro, Kharis, Aaron, Dragons
⚜Representation: Non
⚜Pace: Fast
⚜TW: i did not see any
⚜ tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Love triangle, arranged marriage, hidden secrets,
⚜ POV: Multiple
⚜ spice 🌶
⚜ rating 🌟🌟🌟
⚜standalone: No, this is Vol1 (ep 0 - 25)
⚜Ending: unresolved
The first thing that drew me to this GN was the cover. It is absolutely stunning
The second thing was the author. Although I know nothing of her, but apparently she and her episodes were popular on Webtoon
The third thing are the dragons. Give me a fantasy with dragons and I am sold let alone a GN with sassy dragons.
Clove, the valiant heir of the Cerulean Dragon clan, embarks on a thrilling journey to end a centuries-old war through a daring alliance with Prince Kyro, the formidable heir of the Crimson Dragon clan. Their union, a beacon of hope for peace, is tested by hidden secrets and the looming shadows of those who seek to ignite the flames of war. Supposedly, a forbidden romance will blossom, promising a future where love and peace might just triumph over longstanding enmity.
The Graphics were absolutely stunning capturing every emotion and action. You know they are good when you start zooming in and out to see all the details.
Most of the characters were brilliantly presented with twists in their lives that would leave you laughing, swooning or sad for them. Kyro was everything the novel promised: a tormented prince burdened by his past and his current responsibility feeling annoyed when an arranged marriage was sprung on him.
I loved his sister Kharis, she was a surprise. She is if a cat and a dragon had a soul marriage and had her. too bad she wasn't the main lead
The story was not something we hadn't seen before. Two magical kingdoms at war, have to come together through marriage for the sake of their people, but secrets and treachery promise more chaos. Just note that this is not a Cultural Fantasy. Though inspired by Chinese folklore, the character descriptions and setting put this on a "whole new made-up world.
Where the story lost me was with:
Clover was annoying. She is the last heir of her Cerulean Dragon clan. However, she doesn't know how to fight, she is not eloquent, she does not defend herself from the verbal attack by Kyro or his court. She is timid. And I find that ridiculous. As a princess of a kingdom fighting war, shouldn't you be trained to do that? It is not like the culture of that time forbade it because Kharis did exactly that.
Add to that, she has long-lasting feelings for her bodyguard Aaron and she literally throws herself on him and tries to seduce him WHILE IN THE CASTLE OF HER SUPPOSEDLY FUTURE HUSBAND!! So, knowing she probably will end with Kyro, this was icky.
The story itself was confusing. You really need to pick your brain to understand what is/was going on, and how certain present and past events are affecting the plot. Add to that, for an 330-page intense graphic book, not a lot happens
overall, it was an enjoyable read.
But at the end of the day, THIS IS A BOOK, and I have to review it as such. So, first, a thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Oni-Press for auto-approving me for their ARCs.
⚜Genre: High Fantasy
⚜Theme: Fantasy Romance
⚜Targeted audience: 15+
⚜Characters: Princess Clove, Prince Kyro, Kharis, Aaron, Dragons
⚜Representation: Non
⚜Pace: Fast
⚜TW: i did not see any
⚜ tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Love triangle, arranged marriage, hidden secrets,
⚜ POV: Multiple
⚜ spice 🌶
⚜ rating 🌟🌟🌟
⚜standalone: No, this is Vol1 (ep 0 - 25)
⚜Ending: unresolved
The first thing that drew me to this GN was the cover. It is absolutely stunning
The second thing was the author. Although I know nothing of her, but apparently she and her episodes were popular on Webtoon
The third thing are the dragons. Give me a fantasy with dragons and I am sold let alone a GN with sassy dragons.
Clove, the valiant heir of the Cerulean Dragon clan, embarks on a thrilling journey to end a centuries-old war through a daring alliance with Prince Kyro, the formidable heir of the Crimson Dragon clan. Their union, a beacon of hope for peace, is tested by hidden secrets and the looming shadows of those who seek to ignite the flames of war. Supposedly, a forbidden romance will blossom, promising a future where love and peace might just triumph over longstanding enmity.
The Graphics were absolutely stunning capturing every emotion and action. You know they are good when you start zooming in and out to see all the details.
Most of the characters were brilliantly presented with twists in their lives that would leave you laughing, swooning or sad for them. Kyro was everything the novel promised: a tormented prince burdened by his past and his current responsibility feeling annoyed when an arranged marriage was sprung on him.
I loved his sister Kharis, she was a surprise. She is if a cat and a dragon had a soul marriage and had her. too bad she wasn't the main lead
The story was not something we hadn't seen before. Two magical kingdoms at war, have to come together through marriage for the sake of their people, but secrets and treachery promise more chaos. Just note that this is not a Cultural Fantasy. Though inspired by Chinese folklore, the character descriptions and setting put this on a "whole new made-up world.
Where the story lost me was with:
Clover was annoying. She is the last heir of her Cerulean Dragon clan. However, she doesn't know how to fight, she is not eloquent, she does not defend herself from the verbal attack by Kyro or his court. She is timid. And I find that ridiculous. As a princess of a kingdom fighting war, shouldn't you be trained to do that? It is not like the culture of that time forbade it because Kharis did exactly that.
Add to that, she has long-lasting feelings for her bodyguard Aaron and she literally throws herself on him and tries to seduce him WHILE IN THE CASTLE OF HER SUPPOSEDLY FUTURE HUSBAND!! So, knowing she probably will end with Kyro, this was icky.
The story itself was confusing. You really need to pick your brain to understand what is/was going on, and how certain present and past events are affecting the plot. Add to that, for an 330-page intense graphic book, not a lot happens
overall, it was an enjoyable read.
May 6, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this one early in exchange for a review!
Well the cover certainly told a different story than the one in the pages. This is probably the most cliche, hackneyed, obnoxiously trope-filled comic I’ve read in a long time. It’s got all the romance manga influences, all the crappy Japanese fantasy tropes, and it’s painful to read. The art is pretty but stiff and not on par with even most manga let alone worth the full color. I can usually look past all of this for the sake of an epic fantasy like story but this was a kind of wake-up call that I’m not getting any younger and some stories are not worth reading, even if they do have dragons.
Well the cover certainly told a different story than the one in the pages. This is probably the most cliche, hackneyed, obnoxiously trope-filled comic I’ve read in a long time. It’s got all the romance manga influences, all the crappy Japanese fantasy tropes, and it’s painful to read. The art is pretty but stiff and not on par with even most manga let alone worth the full color. I can usually look past all of this for the sake of an epic fantasy like story but this was a kind of wake-up call that I’m not getting any younger and some stories are not worth reading, even if they do have dragons.
April 27, 2024
4.5✨
Esp:
Dos clanes en guerra por mas de 300 años, y para detenerlo, Clove (princesa del clan Cerulean) y Kyro (principe del clan Crimson) son enemigos obligados a un matrimonio arreglado para poner fin a la guerra entre ellos, pero no todo es tan fácil…
Me encanta, hace mucho quería leer este webtoon pero nunca pude hacerlo, y ahora lo van a sacar en físico, vi que estaba en Netgalley, así que decidí pedirlo para leerlo, y estoy feliz que me gustó mucho.
El arte es hermoso y la historia es muy interesante, matrimonio arreglado? Enemigos? DRAGONES?! Es lo que más me gusta leer, no puedo esperar a leer el segundo volumen así que probablemente continue la historia en el Webtoon.
Eng:
Two clans at war for more than 300 years, and to stop it, Clove (princess of the Cerulean clan) and Kyro (prince of the Crimson clan) are enemies forced into an arranged marriage to end the war between them, but not everything is so easy…
I love it, I wanted to read this webtoon for a long time but I never got around to it, and now they are going to release it physical, I saw that it was on Netgalley, so I decided to order it to read it, and I'm happy that I liked it a lot.
The art is beautiful and the story is very interesting, arranged marriage? Enemies? DRAGONS?! It's what I like to read the most, I can't wait to read the second volume so I'll probably continue the story on the Webtoon.
Thanks OniPress and Netgalley for the arc✨
Esp:
Dos clanes en guerra por mas de 300 años, y para detenerlo, Clove (princesa del clan Cerulean) y Kyro (principe del clan Crimson) son enemigos obligados a un matrimonio arreglado para poner fin a la guerra entre ellos, pero no todo es tan fácil…
Me encanta, hace mucho quería leer este webtoon pero nunca pude hacerlo, y ahora lo van a sacar en físico, vi que estaba en Netgalley, así que decidí pedirlo para leerlo, y estoy feliz que me gustó mucho.
El arte es hermoso y la historia es muy interesante, matrimonio arreglado? Enemigos? DRAGONES?! Es lo que más me gusta leer, no puedo esperar a leer el segundo volumen así que probablemente continue la historia en el Webtoon.
Eng:
Two clans at war for more than 300 years, and to stop it, Clove (princess of the Cerulean clan) and Kyro (prince of the Crimson clan) are enemies forced into an arranged marriage to end the war between them, but not everything is so easy…
I love it, I wanted to read this webtoon for a long time but I never got around to it, and now they are going to release it physical, I saw that it was on Netgalley, so I decided to order it to read it, and I'm happy that I liked it a lot.
The art is beautiful and the story is very interesting, arranged marriage? Enemies? DRAGONS?! It's what I like to read the most, I can't wait to read the second volume so I'll probably continue the story on the Webtoon.
Thanks OniPress and Netgalley for the arc✨
June 13, 2024
SubZero is the first volume of a graphic novel in which the princess Clove enters into an arranged marriage with prince Kyro in an attempt to heal the long enmity between their countries caused by years of war and the feuding of two dragon spirits --the Azure and Crimson dragons--that are passed down through the country's ruling lines. I actually read a portion of this story several years ago on WebToon and had a lot of fun revisiting it! I look forward to where the story goes! If you want an enemies to lovers angsty graphic novel this one is pretty fun, if you're okay with leaning into drama tropes! It does end in an odd spot but the good news is you can always hop over to WebToon and keep going. 4 stars.
May 4, 2024
I'm so positively surprised! I was immediately drawn to the cover. I mean, look at this beauty. The illustrations are magnificent, but so is the story. I'm totally hooked.
Enemies to lovers forced to marry to save their people. What more could you ask for? Attractive characters with personality? Check. Beautiful illustrations? Check. Political issues? Check. Mystery? Check.
I don't really agree with those who say there's not much going on in this first volume. We've already learned quite a bit, a lot of characters have been introduced and the stakes have been set. Admittedly there's not too much action, but I honestly didn't find it lacking.
I can't wait to read the next volume !
Thank you to Junepurrr, Oni Press and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Enemies to lovers forced to marry to save their people. What more could you ask for? Attractive characters with personality? Check. Beautiful illustrations? Check. Political issues? Check. Mystery? Check.
I don't really agree with those who say there's not much going on in this first volume. We've already learned quite a bit, a lot of characters have been introduced and the stakes have been set. Admittedly there's not too much action, but I honestly didn't find it lacking.
I can't wait to read the next volume !
Thank you to Junepurrr, Oni Press and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 6, 2024
This was one of the most addicting stories I read this year, the angst was too much! I kept looking forward to the interaction between the main two characters and I can't wait to continue with one! I recommend it!
April 25, 2025
4,5/5
May 8, 2024
I got an ARC of this book!
“Subzero” is an exciting webcomic set in a frozen fantasy world. It's full of great art and interesting characters. The story keeps you wanting more with its mystery and romance. If you like fantasy and romance, you'll love this book!
“Subzero” is an exciting webcomic set in a frozen fantasy world. It's full of great art and interesting characters. The story keeps you wanting more with its mystery and romance. If you like fantasy and romance, you'll love this book!
August 21, 2024
This graphic novel is amazing and I'm so glad that it's going to be in print. I read it on my phone previously and was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of the print edition.
Our lovely heroes in this story are enemies to lovers of a long standing war and have arranged themselves into a marriage to stop the war. Both can turn into dragons and come from lines that are meant to preserve and continue the dragon bloodlines. But there is so much intrigue, so much banter, and so much mystery to it all that it is just amazing. If you like enemies to lovers, liked the Zutara sort of vibes, like arranged marriage tropes, and like when your two love interests banter? Pick this one up as soon as possible.
Our lovely heroes in this story are enemies to lovers of a long standing war and have arranged themselves into a marriage to stop the war. Both can turn into dragons and come from lines that are meant to preserve and continue the dragon bloodlines. But there is so much intrigue, so much banter, and so much mystery to it all that it is just amazing. If you like enemies to lovers, liked the Zutara sort of vibes, like arranged marriage tropes, and like when your two love interests banter? Pick this one up as soon as possible.
April 25, 2024
Beautifully lush Historical Fantasy graphic novel with plenty of intrigue and mystery.
__________________________
Full Review 4.3 stars
This is a lush, lavish, and beautifully drawn, literal enemies to lovers historical fantasy manga (with dragons) that really delivers with intriguing plot lines, despite the well traveled tropes employed.
The tale starts as an apparently straightforward arranged political marriage to end a war (300 years) that is devastating both sides/nations. The main characters are part of the ruling families of two clans, where the heirs have a hereditary ability to shift into a dragon, as signified by a “tattoo” that can change on their skin. The movement between past event and the present to illuminate the portions of the story is deftly done.
There are alternate/prior (or potential) love interests for both the prince and princess, but they seem to handle them without too much teen angst. As the story develops, the political intrigues and machinations [*A1] of the Crimson Court begin to be revealed. While Princess Clove is having to learn fast, and it obvious she is up to the task and she has the common touch - something invaluable in a leader, Prince Kyro is also grappling with everything as well and as they start to unite it appears they may be exactly what is needed for both nations. Prince Kyro’s sister is an underlying power player, and I look forward to seeing how her role and involvement develop.
This volume ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.. and I am truly looking forward to Volume #2 to see the wedding, and how everything plays out. If it is anything of the quality of Volume #1, it will be a real treat to enjoy. If we (as readers) are very lucky this will be several volumes.
The last few pages provide brief bios and other informational tidbits on the major characters. I loved this. It was fun and informative. I was also happy to see Zeyphr portrayed, with his butterflies! no spoilers - you’ll have to read this to find out about that!
I also want to mention the artwork concerning the dragon manifestations. They are stunning and dynamic. There are also sparingly used chibi inserts of different human characters early on in the volume.
Thank you to Netgalley, Oni Press (publisher), and Junepurrr/Antonia Crupa (Author and Artist) for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest and unpaid review.
Audience Interest Genres: Romance, Shifters, Historical Fantasy
__________________________
Review Addendum/Notes
*A1 - There is an analogy here to various intricate Asian court intrigues and potential political coups - as well as some modern day implications, but it isn’t direct and in Volume One it is building to something I hope will play out in a strong fashion in subsequent volumes
Genre Note: Those who know my reviews know I am not usually a fan of the Romance genre. This is an exception as the developing love story in this is integral to the overall story and a natural inclusion to the whole, instead of being the raison d'etre with everything else as filler.
__________________________
Full Review 4.3 stars
This is a lush, lavish, and beautifully drawn, literal enemies to lovers historical fantasy manga (with dragons) that really delivers with intriguing plot lines, despite the well traveled tropes employed.
The tale starts as an apparently straightforward arranged political marriage to end a war (300 years) that is devastating both sides/nations. The main characters are part of the ruling families of two clans, where the heirs have a hereditary ability to shift into a dragon, as signified by a “tattoo” that can change on their skin. The movement between past event and the present to illuminate the portions of the story is deftly done.
There are alternate/prior (or potential) love interests for both the prince and princess, but they seem to handle them without too much teen angst. As the story develops, the political intrigues and machinations [*A1] of the Crimson Court begin to be revealed. While Princess Clove is having to learn fast, and it obvious she is up to the task and she has the common touch - something invaluable in a leader, Prince Kyro is also grappling with everything as well and as they start to unite it appears they may be exactly what is needed for both nations. Prince Kyro’s sister is an underlying power player, and I look forward to seeing how her role and involvement develop.
This volume ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.. and I am truly looking forward to Volume #2 to see the wedding, and how everything plays out. If it is anything of the quality of Volume #1, it will be a real treat to enjoy. If we (as readers) are very lucky this will be several volumes.
The last few pages provide brief bios and other informational tidbits on the major characters. I loved this. It was fun and informative. I was also happy to see Zeyphr portrayed, with his butterflies! no spoilers - you’ll have to read this to find out about that!
I also want to mention the artwork concerning the dragon manifestations. They are stunning and dynamic. There are also sparingly used chibi inserts of different human characters early on in the volume.
Thank you to Netgalley, Oni Press (publisher), and Junepurrr/Antonia Crupa (Author and Artist) for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest and unpaid review.
Audience Interest Genres: Romance, Shifters, Historical Fantasy
__________________________
Review Addendum/Notes
*A1 - There is an analogy here to various intricate Asian court intrigues and potential political coups - as well as some modern day implications, but it isn’t direct and in Volume One it is building to something I hope will play out in a strong fashion in subsequent volumes
Genre Note: Those who know my reviews know I am not usually a fan of the Romance genre. This is an exception as the developing love story in this is integral to the overall story and a natural inclusion to the whole, instead of being the raison d'etre with everything else as filler.
May 7, 2024
That was a bit disappointing. I haven't read the Webtoon and so I don't know how the story develops over the next few chapters, but for somebody who's unfamiliar with the series, this first volume was a major letdown. Nothing stuck out to me, neither the plot (which was very basic) nor the characters. Clove was too naive and too much of a damsel in my opinion. She probably does develop as a character during the rest of the series, but we get little to no evolution in this volume. And keep in mind that it's 300 pages long, which is almost double the length of a manga. Kyro was slightly better written, but we get more flashbacks for him. It also annoyed me that all the male characters have the same face. And no, changing the hairstyle is not enough to make a character unique. Ultimately, I feel like this volume needed a better edit. So many panels are copy and paste and should have been deleted. I don't know if or how much the panels have been edited since their release on Webtoon, but the print version still needs a polish. I think the series could have also benefitted from a more serious tone. The start is quite goofy and I'm not sure if I like the manga-esque style. That's probably why I just couldn't click with the book. But hey, other people probably really love this comic.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me early access to this volume.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me early access to this volume.
September 29, 2024
I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I used to subscribe to Webtoon and read internet comics to my heart's content. I recently stopped that practice because I got tired of waiting for weekly releases instead of one giant story all at once. I did briefly read SubZero before it was traditionally published. I still remembered some elements of the story, but it was nice to revisit the series with fresh eyes. This comic had beautiful colors and delicious artwork. I liked the chemistry between the main characters, but the first volume was way too slow. There was a lot of dialogue for a visual novel. The first collection ended at the strangest spot. Nothing happened other than the couple meeting with a lot of sexual tension. I don't believe I'll continue with this series, but it was wonderful to take a stroll down memory lane. This comic may have been called SubZero, but it was absolutely smoldering!
I used to subscribe to Webtoon and read internet comics to my heart's content. I recently stopped that practice because I got tired of waiting for weekly releases instead of one giant story all at once. I did briefly read SubZero before it was traditionally published. I still remembered some elements of the story, but it was nice to revisit the series with fresh eyes. This comic had beautiful colors and delicious artwork. I liked the chemistry between the main characters, but the first volume was way too slow. There was a lot of dialogue for a visual novel. The first collection ended at the strangest spot. Nothing happened other than the couple meeting with a lot of sexual tension. I don't believe I'll continue with this series, but it was wonderful to take a stroll down memory lane. This comic may have been called SubZero, but it was absolutely smoldering!
July 13, 2024
Sweet and innocent girl marries a bad boy. Nothing new here. So far there's barely any magic in it. Although I am curious to dragons' nature tbh.
It's a cheesy and goofy enemies to lovers romance. It has its moments although sometimes characters behave as if they are 15 and not thinking. I sadly can't talk much about the plot without spoiling. But there's some predictable but nonetheless juicy stuff here.
There's also greed and selfishness and skeletons in closets. I really like that that servants seem to gossip so much. Sometimes nobles forget servants do talk to each other and maybe their enemy has a spy or two among them.
I don't know if I'll continue with the series. It's neither great nor terrible. Thank you Netgalley and ONI press for providing me with free ARC in exchange for an honest review
It's a cheesy and goofy enemies to lovers romance. It has its moments although sometimes characters behave as if they are 15 and not thinking. I sadly can't talk much about the plot without spoiling. But there's some predictable but nonetheless juicy stuff here.
There's also greed and selfishness and skeletons in closets. I really like that that servants seem to gossip so much. Sometimes nobles forget servants do talk to each other and maybe their enemy has a spy or two among them.
I don't know if I'll continue with the series. It's neither great nor terrible. Thank you Netgalley and ONI press for providing me with free ARC in exchange for an honest review
July 30, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for an advanced copy of this book.
What I liked:
There were tropes in here that are some favourites of mine like enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience. The artwork is lovely and I appreciate that it's in full colour.
What I didn't like:
I thought more was going to happen in this volume. There's a lot of backstory needed for this story but we only got the bare minimum. I also wanted more from the tropes I mentioned above. The enemies part seems like it's going to be incredibly short lived.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What I liked:
There were tropes in here that are some favourites of mine like enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience. The artwork is lovely and I appreciate that it's in full colour.
What I didn't like:
I thought more was going to happen in this volume. There's a lot of backstory needed for this story but we only got the bare minimum. I also wanted more from the tropes I mentioned above. The enemies part seems like it's going to be incredibly short lived.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 20, 2025
• 1.75 stars •
I really wanted to like this, but I struggled to connect with both the story and the characters. I blame the uneven pacing and the nonstop dialogue with little narration to ground or drive the plot forward. The conversations often felt unnatural and disjointed. Overall, a boring read—though the artwork is pretty.
I really wanted to like this, but I struggled to connect with both the story and the characters. I blame the uneven pacing and the nonstop dialogue with little narration to ground or drive the plot forward. The conversations often felt unnatural and disjointed. Overall, a boring read—though the artwork is pretty.
August 13, 2024
soapy enough that I'll probably keep reading?
January 2, 2025
Solo no es para mi
May 19, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Preface: I did not read this at any point when it was published online.
First and foremost, the artwork is absolutely beautiful and vibrant — this is my FAVORITE part of the story.
Now onto story/plot points: not a lot happens in this volume — I expected there to be a bit more action in it, especially with a war going on and these two opposing royals being forced together — it’s a slow burn for sure and I would go as far to say that it’s almost too slow of a burn with the action, but too quickly paced in other ways — for instance, the two (while they have their own agendas) should not be agreeing to work with/join forces too easily, especially in a situation where this is a marriage of “convenience” (only in the way that it is set up to end the war) — sure, there is room for physical attraction and lust, but it did feel like I got whiplash while reading.
Another point, they’re totally allowed to keep secrets as they’re from opposing sides of a war, but their form of keeping secrets just felt a bit juvenile.
Now onto characters: my favorites by far are Aaron and Kharis — and in the creator’s note, they expressed these are two of their favs as well — it shows. They seem a bit more interesting to me and a bit more fleshed out than the others as far as what were shown about them and what we learn about them through their actions and words.
This isn’t to say that I didn’t like Clove or Kyro, just that our two main characters feel like cookie cutters of characters I’ve seen before and I just feel like I need to spend more time with them/learning about them to care more for them. Clove feels a bit too naive in some ways but I can’t really tell if that’s true or not and Kyro is definitely more than just a hot tempered dragon warrior prince, but again, just need more time with him.
In a first volume that is ~330 pages, I feel like I should care MORE about the main characters of our story.
As a reader, I really gravitate towards characters first before the world and I struggle to keep reading when the characters aren’t super interesting to me in the initial time that I have with them.
I will say, though, regarding the world — I’m intrigued, but again, I just need MORE.
Definitely will keep reading because I am interested in the political climate of the Crimson Dragon’s side of things that we got a bit of a tease for.
Would I recommend it for someone who is looking for fantasy? Not really - the world feels similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender, though so if you liked that…I’d say a really iffy maybe?
Would I recommend it for someone who is looking for romance? Not unless you’re into insta-stuff that also happens to somehow be slow burn…
Would I recommend it for someone who has time on their hands and has access to it and thinks the art is pretty? Sure, go for it!
I enjoyed my read, don’t get me wrong! I finished it because I was enjoying reading it and I plan to keep reading because I’m interested in it 🤷🏽♀️
Preface: I did not read this at any point when it was published online.
First and foremost, the artwork is absolutely beautiful and vibrant — this is my FAVORITE part of the story.
Now onto story/plot points: not a lot happens in this volume — I expected there to be a bit more action in it, especially with a war going on and these two opposing royals being forced together — it’s a slow burn for sure and I would go as far to say that it’s almost too slow of a burn with the action, but too quickly paced in other ways — for instance, the two (while they have their own agendas) should not be agreeing to work with/join forces too easily, especially in a situation where this is a marriage of “convenience” (only in the way that it is set up to end the war) — sure, there is room for physical attraction and lust, but it did feel like I got whiplash while reading.
Another point, they’re totally allowed to keep secrets as they’re from opposing sides of a war, but their form of keeping secrets just felt a bit juvenile.
Now onto characters: my favorites by far are Aaron and Kharis — and in the creator’s note, they expressed these are two of their favs as well — it shows. They seem a bit more interesting to me and a bit more fleshed out than the others as far as what were shown about them and what we learn about them through their actions and words.
This isn’t to say that I didn’t like Clove or Kyro, just that our two main characters feel like cookie cutters of characters I’ve seen before and I just feel like I need to spend more time with them/learning about them to care more for them. Clove feels a bit too naive in some ways but I can’t really tell if that’s true or not and Kyro is definitely more than just a hot tempered dragon warrior prince, but again, just need more time with him.
In a first volume that is ~330 pages, I feel like I should care MORE about the main characters of our story.
As a reader, I really gravitate towards characters first before the world and I struggle to keep reading when the characters aren’t super interesting to me in the initial time that I have with them.
I will say, though, regarding the world — I’m intrigued, but again, I just need MORE.
Definitely will keep reading because I am interested in the political climate of the Crimson Dragon’s side of things that we got a bit of a tease for.
Would I recommend it for someone who is looking for fantasy? Not really - the world feels similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender, though so if you liked that…I’d say a really iffy maybe?
Would I recommend it for someone who is looking for romance? Not unless you’re into insta-stuff that also happens to somehow be slow burn…
Would I recommend it for someone who has time on their hands and has access to it and thinks the art is pretty? Sure, go for it!
I enjoyed my read, don’t get me wrong! I finished it because I was enjoying reading it and I plan to keep reading because I’m interested in it 🤷🏽♀️
June 18, 2024
Finally found a graphic novels with DRAGONSSSS!!! 🐉
‘Subzero’ follows Princess Clove as she agrees to marry her enemy—Prince Kyro—in order to stop a 300-year-war between the two kingdoms. There are numerous variables at play with many not wanting the marriage to bring piece while others are doing their best for the marriage to go ahead. The two main characters have a complicated relationship, their union is being tested by hidden secrets and it doesn’t help that there are those working from the shadows to bring ruin. This all comes together in an intriguing story.
Each character is uniquely presented; all harbouring secrets and twists to their lives that either laughing, swooning or feeling sorrow on behalf of the character.
Clove is represented as such a brave young woman who’s willing to put her people before her own happiness. She shows kindness to everyone and she is tactful. Yet she’s burned by her own grief. Kyra is a tormented prince who’s been burdened by the responsibilities of his past and present; ultimately annoyed by his current arrange marriage.
I also enjoyed Kharis’ character, she’s a bit of an enigma. Aaron was another interesting character, I look forward to seeing how his character fares, especially with dealing with his feelings for Clove.
The tension growing between the Prince, Princess and Aaron is interesting. It’s a question of who will the Princes choose, the bad boy or good boy?
The fantasy aspect of the plot draws you in, it’s mixed with the politics of the clans which keeps the reader engaged. This first volume has a great introduction of characters as well as the world-building, used more as a set up to the plot. Including humour, chemistry, action and varying dynamics.
Overall, a very good start to this graphic novel series. I can’t wait for the release of the second volume, I’m most anticipating it, seen as I found myself unable to put this first to one down. The art was done beautifully, with eye-catching detail. The artist definitely knew what they were doing when they created such dreamy characters in the male leads.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
‘Subzero’ follows Princess Clove as she agrees to marry her enemy—Prince Kyro—in order to stop a 300-year-war between the two kingdoms. There are numerous variables at play with many not wanting the marriage to bring piece while others are doing their best for the marriage to go ahead. The two main characters have a complicated relationship, their union is being tested by hidden secrets and it doesn’t help that there are those working from the shadows to bring ruin. This all comes together in an intriguing story.
Each character is uniquely presented; all harbouring secrets and twists to their lives that either laughing, swooning or feeling sorrow on behalf of the character.
Clove is represented as such a brave young woman who’s willing to put her people before her own happiness. She shows kindness to everyone and she is tactful. Yet she’s burned by her own grief. Kyra is a tormented prince who’s been burdened by the responsibilities of his past and present; ultimately annoyed by his current arrange marriage.
I also enjoyed Kharis’ character, she’s a bit of an enigma. Aaron was another interesting character, I look forward to seeing how his character fares, especially with dealing with his feelings for Clove.
The tension growing between the Prince, Princess and Aaron is interesting. It’s a question of who will the Princes choose, the bad boy or good boy?
The fantasy aspect of the plot draws you in, it’s mixed with the politics of the clans which keeps the reader engaged. This first volume has a great introduction of characters as well as the world-building, used more as a set up to the plot. Including humour, chemistry, action and varying dynamics.
Overall, a very good start to this graphic novel series. I can’t wait for the release of the second volume, I’m most anticipating it, seen as I found myself unable to put this first to one down. The art was done beautifully, with eye-catching detail. The artist definitely knew what they were doing when they created such dreamy characters in the male leads.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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