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Metaphase
Ollie, a boy with Down syndrome, wants to have powers just like his superhero dad. But with congenital heart defects, his father has no intention of letting his son get in harm's way. Enter Meta-Makers, a company run by an egomaniac that promises to give Ollie the super powers he so desires - but at what cost?
- GenresGraphic Novels
88 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2014
199 people want to read
About the author
Chip Reece
4 books1 followerChip Reece began his career in comics as an admin and writer for StashMyComics.com. After the birth of his son Ollie (who has Down syndrome), Chip realized that comic books lack serious diversity in the area of characters with disabilities. Since then, he's made it his mission to change that and hopes to inspire other creators to do the same.
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 11, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. That being said, my review is complete and honest. As an adult, I loved the idea, storyline and the artwork in this comic. I adore how "Metaphase" is going out there and showing that no matter what "disabilities" one might have, they can do anything and still be super! That being said, the writing was young for me and this would be very appealing to a young audience! I love this comic and would recommend it to anyone who has kids with or without disabilities!
February 20, 2017
This comic is definitely a step in the right direction regarding diversity in comics. The only qualm I have is that outside of his superhero father's overprotectiveness, Ollie doesn't seem to have any other difficulties, so that felt like a stretch from reality. I would certainly like to read more though!
July 7, 2015
A wonderfully written story with beautiful artwork. I highly recommend it.
July 25, 2015
i wanted to Love this book.
Dad is a superhero, son wants to be just like him. Son has Down Syndrome, dad overly protective of son. story works out well for everybody at the end.
My problem w/the book is the son having Down Syndrome is the point of the book, but if you take away his extra chromosome the story wouldn't be any different. he's shown to have lived his first couple weeks in nicu, had a couple heart surgeries and have had a monitor by his crib. when the story takes place he's ten or twelve w/no speech problems, decent artist, rides a skateboard like Tony Hawk and thinks fast. if the boy had an ingrown toenail the story would have been no different.
Dad is a superhero, son wants to be just like him. Son has Down Syndrome, dad overly protective of son. story works out well for everybody at the end.
My problem w/the book is the son having Down Syndrome is the point of the book, but if you take away his extra chromosome the story wouldn't be any different. he's shown to have lived his first couple weeks in nicu, had a couple heart surgeries and have had a monitor by his crib. when the story takes place he's ten or twelve w/no speech problems, decent artist, rides a skateboard like Tony Hawk and thinks fast. if the boy had an ingrown toenail the story would have been no different.
February 16, 2017
Because Ollie is his own thinker(despite his Down Syndrome) he can help save his Dad and everyone else.We all have different learning patterns and his interests seem to be what is needed to defeat the creater of Meta-Makers.The idea that anyone can be a hero or protector isn't a bad one, but in the wrong hands it can't fall.
July 22, 2018
I'm tackling an important subject: diversity in comics. The graphic novel I am reviewing this week is called Metaphase. The story is by Chip Reece, whom I know from being a fellow admin with over at Stashmycomics.com. Chip's son Ollie was born with congenital heart defects and Down Syndrome. Inspired by Ollie's heroic struggle and motivated by the lack of superheroes with special needs, Chip created Metaphase: the world's first superhero with Down Syndrome.
Metaphase was originally published in graphic novel form in 2015 by Alterna Comics. The 73-page story was made possible with help from backers at Kickstarter. Next week, Metaphase is finally being released as it was intended in multi-issue comic book format of two parts. So I though now was the perfect time to share this important all-ages story with you.
Metaphase
Written by Chip Reece
Art by Kelly Williams
Published by Alterna Comics
Ollie is a boy with Down Syndrome. He longs to become a superhero like his father. But due to his heart conditions, Ollie's father is afraid of his son getting injured in someway battling the villains. So Ollie turns to a shadowy clinic called Meta-Makers in hopes of gaining powers like his pop? But is Meta-Makers hoping to create heroes or villains?
Disclaimer:
Readers, just because I know and have worked with Chip, I have in no way been asked by Chip Reece, Alterna Comics or Kelly Williams to review this book. Nor have I been paid or solicited by another party to provide a review. So what I am about to say about this book comes deep from my heart: Metaphase is one of the important comics to be published in the past decade. In my opinion, it's books like Metaphase that has helped open the flood gates to diversity in comic books! But unlike most comic book creators, Chip Reece has done it right.
Diversity in comic books is a great thing. But it should not be formulaic in that writers sacrifice quality in order to fill a checklist to make all varieties of readers happy. For example, I have crippling social anxiety. Despite the fact that there are very few characters in comics that deal with this ailment, I am not angered by it. In fact, I would get not only pretty bored but weary if every comic book I read had a character with anxiety disorder in it.
Sometimes you need to see yourself reflected in the entertainment you consume, warts and all. However, there are times when I just need to get away from the insanity of my life and instead lose myself in a good comic. Thus while I appreciate that Chip Reece is bringing awareness to those with special needs, I love that he stuck with only Down Syndrome for the first Metaphase adventure. I think had Reece tried to add a character on the autism spectrum and another with cerebral palsy and a third with Treacher Collins Syndrome, it would have crowded out the impact Chip was trying to make with the introduction of Ollie. But I hope in future Metaphase stories that we'll see those types of characters I just mentioned!
There is one aspect of Metaphase that doesn't translate so very well on paper and that's the syntax. Having worked and volunteered with people with Down Syndrome, I can attest that when they speak, they have a very specific dialect with it's own verbal pace. So, I had some trouble in my mind capturing Ollie's speech correctly while reading this story.
I also find it a tiny bit hard to believe that if Ollie's father was so concerned about the heart condition, why would he allow Ollie to skateboard throughout the town unattended... Does Ollie's father have attuned super-hearing in that he is always listening to his son's heartbeat? Is this an element of Metaphase that I missed?
You might have missed out on Metaphase when it first debuted in 2015. However, with Alterna Comics doing a re-release, there's no excuse to be further left out in the rain. Plus, with each issue of Metaphase being only $1.50, a third of the price of most other new comics, it's the steal of the century! Why, I encourage all of you to buy at least two copies. Keep one for your family and share one with a friend, or teacher, or librarian in hopes of getting the Metaphase word out. That's how passionate I feel about the importance of this groundbreaking work that the entire family, and even readers with special needs, can enjoy!
Metaphase was originally published in graphic novel form in 2015 by Alterna Comics. The 73-page story was made possible with help from backers at Kickstarter. Next week, Metaphase is finally being released as it was intended in multi-issue comic book format of two parts. So I though now was the perfect time to share this important all-ages story with you.
Metaphase
Written by Chip Reece
Art by Kelly Williams
Published by Alterna Comics
Ollie is a boy with Down Syndrome. He longs to become a superhero like his father. But due to his heart conditions, Ollie's father is afraid of his son getting injured in someway battling the villains. So Ollie turns to a shadowy clinic called Meta-Makers in hopes of gaining powers like his pop? But is Meta-Makers hoping to create heroes or villains?
Disclaimer:
Readers, just because I know and have worked with Chip, I have in no way been asked by Chip Reece, Alterna Comics or Kelly Williams to review this book. Nor have I been paid or solicited by another party to provide a review. So what I am about to say about this book comes deep from my heart: Metaphase is one of the important comics to be published in the past decade. In my opinion, it's books like Metaphase that has helped open the flood gates to diversity in comic books! But unlike most comic book creators, Chip Reece has done it right.
Diversity in comic books is a great thing. But it should not be formulaic in that writers sacrifice quality in order to fill a checklist to make all varieties of readers happy. For example, I have crippling social anxiety. Despite the fact that there are very few characters in comics that deal with this ailment, I am not angered by it. In fact, I would get not only pretty bored but weary if every comic book I read had a character with anxiety disorder in it.
Sometimes you need to see yourself reflected in the entertainment you consume, warts and all. However, there are times when I just need to get away from the insanity of my life and instead lose myself in a good comic. Thus while I appreciate that Chip Reece is bringing awareness to those with special needs, I love that he stuck with only Down Syndrome for the first Metaphase adventure. I think had Reece tried to add a character on the autism spectrum and another with cerebral palsy and a third with Treacher Collins Syndrome, it would have crowded out the impact Chip was trying to make with the introduction of Ollie. But I hope in future Metaphase stories that we'll see those types of characters I just mentioned!
There is one aspect of Metaphase that doesn't translate so very well on paper and that's the syntax. Having worked and volunteered with people with Down Syndrome, I can attest that when they speak, they have a very specific dialect with it's own verbal pace. So, I had some trouble in my mind capturing Ollie's speech correctly while reading this story.
I also find it a tiny bit hard to believe that if Ollie's father was so concerned about the heart condition, why would he allow Ollie to skateboard throughout the town unattended... Does Ollie's father have attuned super-hearing in that he is always listening to his son's heartbeat? Is this an element of Metaphase that I missed?
You might have missed out on Metaphase when it first debuted in 2015. However, with Alterna Comics doing a re-release, there's no excuse to be further left out in the rain. Plus, with each issue of Metaphase being only $1.50, a third of the price of most other new comics, it's the steal of the century! Why, I encourage all of you to buy at least two copies. Keep one for your family and share one with a friend, or teacher, or librarian in hopes of getting the Metaphase word out. That's how passionate I feel about the importance of this groundbreaking work that the entire family, and even readers with special needs, can enjoy!
January 13, 2018
Comic book writer Chip Reece's son, Ollie, has Down syndrome. As an avid comic book lover Chip wanted his son to have a superhero, he could identify with. There were very few superheroes with disabilities and none with Down syndrome. So he did what all writers do when they can't find what they want...they write it.
The real superhero, Ollie
Metaphase is the origin story of Ollie, a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome. His father is the famous superhero, Sentinel. The first few pages of the story explain the complications in Ollie's first 5 years of life and why his dad doesn't want him to become a superhero. But as Ollie grows up, he has other ideas.
Metaphase follows the basic superhero story formula. The characters are drawn with exaggerated facial expressions which work well to convey the emotions and tone of the story in the many dialog-free panels. The panels with text tended to be a little dialog heavy. The art is relatively simple line drawings with harsh shading, and in most panels, minimal or no backgrounds. It all works together to convey an easy-to-understand story with a few surprises thrown in.
This is a great comic for kids with disabilities, but even better for kids who don't. The key to acceptance and understanding the differences in individuals is to introduce kids to those differences through media like TV and books (comics). It can open channels for healthy and productive discussions. In the past, self-published webcomics and small independent comic presses were the only places to find comics willing to address issues of disabilities, gender, sexuality, and race. But more mainstream comic producers like Alterna, are entering the game with winners like Metaphase.
As a fan of graphic novels (kid to adult comics), I found Metaphase enjoyable and look forward to the next installment due out next year.
4 "Meta" Sheep
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2017/12/co...
The real superhero, Ollie
Metaphase is the origin story of Ollie, a 16-year-old boy with Down syndrome. His father is the famous superhero, Sentinel. The first few pages of the story explain the complications in Ollie's first 5 years of life and why his dad doesn't want him to become a superhero. But as Ollie grows up, he has other ideas.
Metaphase follows the basic superhero story formula. The characters are drawn with exaggerated facial expressions which work well to convey the emotions and tone of the story in the many dialog-free panels. The panels with text tended to be a little dialog heavy. The art is relatively simple line drawings with harsh shading, and in most panels, minimal or no backgrounds. It all works together to convey an easy-to-understand story with a few surprises thrown in.
This is a great comic for kids with disabilities, but even better for kids who don't. The key to acceptance and understanding the differences in individuals is to introduce kids to those differences through media like TV and books (comics). It can open channels for healthy and productive discussions. In the past, self-published webcomics and small independent comic presses were the only places to find comics willing to address issues of disabilities, gender, sexuality, and race. But more mainstream comic producers like Alterna, are entering the game with winners like Metaphase.
As a fan of graphic novels (kid to adult comics), I found Metaphase enjoyable and look forward to the next installment due out next year.
4 "Meta" Sheep
http://www.ismellsheep.com/2017/12/co...
December 13, 2019
I have to start off by saying this is going to be a hard review to write, not only because of what my concrete thoughts are on the book, but that it is based around and a gift of encouragement for the author's son and others who might see themselves in Ollie's cape.
When I found Chip Reece's "Metaphase" and read the synopsis on our library's catalogue, I was hopeful that the tale of a young superhero with Down Syndrome would be an essential book to include in an on-going list of stories with leads who have a/multiple disabilities to de-stigmatize the topic for readers young and old. And although the book does a good job in reminding that true superhero powers come from a super positive and confident person, I have to admit parts of the book felt powerless.
This is not to say that the idea, plot, characters, conclusion, or style of illustrations were horrid, or made Ollie, and children similar to Ollie, horrible. Ollie is a wonderful hero both in terms of his goals to help his dad, and to inspire a 'can-do' and 'will-do' spirit in readers of all ages. I was just hoping for something a little more mind blowing instead of boggling.
I admire anyone who encourages their child to be themselves, and to see how incredible they are with or without superhuman speed, strength, or skills. I feel that Reece and Ollie should read "My Hero Academia" to keep the spirit going! Although it was not my favorite graphic novel, I would love to see the outcome for the dynamic duo in "Metaphase", and who will try (and fail) to stop them in their tracks!
When I found Chip Reece's "Metaphase" and read the synopsis on our library's catalogue, I was hopeful that the tale of a young superhero with Down Syndrome would be an essential book to include in an on-going list of stories with leads who have a/multiple disabilities to de-stigmatize the topic for readers young and old. And although the book does a good job in reminding that true superhero powers come from a super positive and confident person, I have to admit parts of the book felt powerless.
This is not to say that the idea, plot, characters, conclusion, or style of illustrations were horrid, or made Ollie, and children similar to Ollie, horrible. Ollie is a wonderful hero both in terms of his goals to help his dad, and to inspire a 'can-do' and 'will-do' spirit in readers of all ages. I was just hoping for something a little more mind blowing instead of boggling.
I admire anyone who encourages their child to be themselves, and to see how incredible they are with or without superhuman speed, strength, or skills. I feel that Reece and Ollie should read "My Hero Academia" to keep the spirit going! Although it was not my favorite graphic novel, I would love to see the outcome for the dynamic duo in "Metaphase", and who will try (and fail) to stop them in their tracks!
January 15, 2018
A new kind of hero.
This is the kind of story that everyone can relate to in some way or another. Whether you’re a parent, a kid or just an individual who happens to like their fantasy crossover with real life stuff, you’ll like the read. The art is fantastic and the message is authentic and full of heart. As I grow into reading more comics, these will be the kind of stories I look for. While the action sequences may feel familiar at times, there is nothing familiar about the hero relative to the comics I’ve read in the past. You’re about to be rescued by a new kind of hero. Ollie is one of a kind. I look forward to more from these storytellers.
This is the kind of story that everyone can relate to in some way or another. Whether you’re a parent, a kid or just an individual who happens to like their fantasy crossover with real life stuff, you’ll like the read. The art is fantastic and the message is authentic and full of heart. As I grow into reading more comics, these will be the kind of stories I look for. While the action sequences may feel familiar at times, there is nothing familiar about the hero relative to the comics I’ve read in the past. You’re about to be rescued by a new kind of hero. Ollie is one of a kind. I look forward to more from these storytellers.
February 20, 2018
Hands down one of the best superhero comics I’ve read!
May 3, 2018
Empowering and so important if our society is to continue moving forward with recognizing how important people who live with a disability are. I love this.
September 7, 2019
I love the idea of a superhero story with a main character with Down Syndrome but wanted the story to go more in depth with Ollie.
December 29, 2019
Fab graphic novel about a young Downs boy whose extra chromosome gives him superpowers. Fast paced with full colour engaging pictures, an excellent diverse read.
November 16, 2015
Loved the new superhero with amazing extra chromosome powers! Not a big comic book person, though, and it seemed to be following the usual trope.
December 9, 2016
This is a different type of comic. IT involves a little boy with Downs Syndrome. It is a unique read.
December 6, 2016
Great story.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews