The Inventor Vol. 1: The Dangerous Discovery

The Inventor #1

by Lars Henrik Eriksen

Discover the vibrant island of Mata-Mata with long-time residents Cobalt Cogg and his grandfather, Alfred. Cobalt wants to grow up to be like his grandpa - an inventor! But when he and his friend, Linnea, get into an accident with one of Alfred’s inventions, all hopes for creating seem lost. Can Cobalt recover and move forward with his friends and family? learn about Alpha-Energy and all the ways it can help! And is there something more to this mysterious energy source? Process all this and grief, joy, health, and creativity, in this fantastical coming-of-age graphic novel.

Genres: Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Middle Grade, Manga, Childrens

Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[Marie the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

En spennende start på en ny serie!

[Raven Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the kind of series where completed section is probably the best way to read, as the lead ups and connections could get lost in the wait for the next volume. Also, I am on the fence of "do I or don't I" like this? Two characters are arrogant in their intelligence, one is just a bully and the "extras" are not overly flushed out. The best friend (potential love interest) has potential. The artwork is shiny, glossy and polished. Stereotypical anime/manga/cartoon imagery. One question I have is there there is a point mentioning the date, but is this an alternative Earth or other world altogether? And I hope they explain the turtles and their importance.

[Therese Sedin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fint illustrerad, bra början på historien, ser fram emot att läsa fortsättningen.

[!Leon 🦈 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Iben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flot men slutter ligesom den reelt går i gang

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cobalt is a young boy who dreams of being an inventor like his grandfather. One day he shows up at his grandfather's house to see his grandfathers new invention; a flying car! Although it is only a prototype with a few glitches, he is eager to show it to his friend Linnea. When things go awry, Cobalt ends up as a double leg amputee, Linnea with a scar across her face, and his grandfather banished from the island for being the cause of this accident. 5 years later, Cobalt sets off on an adventure to find his grandfather after the technology goes crazy and they need his inventor skills to fix everything.

Wow! This story was a great beginning to a new series. First off, the plot was well done. I totally understood the world building from page one, and the characters were extremely engaging. I loved how each character had their own turtle companion (they were so cute!). I also loved the illustration style. The main character reminds me of Ben 10, and the illustration style is close to how characters are drawn in manga. I also love that this was fully illustrated.

I 100% recommend this graphic novel; I think middle grade readers would especially love this, but even as an adult, I am completely invested in where this story goes next!

Thank you so much to netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ekta M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

------ARC READ------

****4 STARS****

This graphic novel was creative. I am in love with the town of Mata-Mata. Everything is tortoise-themed and they have tortoise pets and houses and backpacks. It's cute and creative. Add in some sci-fi mystery to the story. The chapters were short and informative but I think the author can take this to the next level and make it more meta. Can't wait for the next volume.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me the ARC copy in return for an honest review.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting beginning to a series. The Inventor causes both good and bad things in the community of Mata Mata. I received a digital ARC of the book and found it intriguing enough to read the whole book in one sitting, but the setting of the story is sometimes hard to figure out. Worth the read if you like graphic novels.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc Copy...Honestly a very promising start to this steampunk vibe middle grade and honest curious to find out what is the nature of this new energy source.

[Maggi · Rating 4 out of 5]

En lovende start på serien. Jeg gleder meg til å fortsette.

[Thomas Brevik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dette var virkelig en overraskelse. Veldig høy kvalitet på tegningene, en stil jeg liker veldig godt og masse fram og tilbakepeking (som jeg liker veldig godt) som lover spennende eventyr. At første bok i en serie holder så høy kvalitet lover godt for oppfølgerene. Gleder meg til å lese mer.

[Bjarkey Björnsdóttir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tegningene er flotte og idéen god men det mangler dypt..

[S46354595 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not appreciate books that jumpscare me with religion halfway through. If you've written a fiction book with religious themes, please put that in the summary. Or dedicate the book on page one to Jesus or something. Readers deserve to know this going in, because not all readers share the same beliefs. I would expect this from a book of any religion, not just Christianity, but it just so happens that here in the US, Christianity is the biggest religion that always tries to hide itself behind facades to trick people into joining them (specifically evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity). I would know. This was my entire childhood. If I had known this was going to be a religious story, I would not have picked it up.

As for the actual plot, I got about 2/3 of the way through, so I can sort of comment on it. Everyone owns turtles, which was very cute. I'd love to have my own turtle to ride around town (as long as they're super fast turtles). I really did not like the way the town treated the grandfather, just because he's a little different than everyone else and builds weird inventions. And we're just supposed to trust all the other adults, because they want to keep the kids "safe." They didn't even ask who blew up his house. They just assumed he did it himself, and endangered kids in the process. No. The kids did that to themselves. Did he warn his grandson not to mess with the dangerous magical car? Yes. Did the kid listen? No. Why? Because kids never listen. That's Christianity 101. Your kids will disobey you, and you will have to fear monger them into doing exactly what you say. It's sad, really.

At about the 2/3 mark, the plot comes to a grinding halt so that there could be a scene of the mother of this kid reading him a story from the bible. Why was this necessary? It felt like it was just shoehorned in here for religious purposes. On the religion note, how can this fantastical version of earth still have Christianity. Christians are the first people who will tell you that science's history of the world through carbon dating is a load of bullcrap, but then they'll make up stories like this where magic exists and turtles are the main form of transportation, and somehow Christianity can still fit over top of this. Isn't magic a sin? How can there be magic? It rings very hypocritical to me to include all this in a book and then to be like, oh yeah and somehow Jesus is real. Despite the fact that this fantasy earth I've created goes against my entire religion's beliefs, it's somehow still real and relevant here. Just do what Narnia did, and remove Christianity in favor of fantastical metaphors for religion. That, I'll accept. But this...no.

In short, I will not be continuing this series and I sincerely hope that in the future, people who write fiction books based on real world religions should mention it somewhere in the book where you'd notice it before you start the book. Don't wait to introduce the religious aspects until halfway through the book.

[Steff Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahk, this just feels so unfair. I have to admit, I’m thoroughly impressed by how wonderful The Inventor’s artwork and story were. Lars Henrik Erikson truly has outshone nearly every graphic novelist whose books I’ve had the fortune to read. And I am just so utterly devastated at the fact that the book is over and there’s nothing further for me to read to immerse myself in the brilliance of this world.

This is the story of Cobalt, a young inventor enamored with the possibilities of technology. He’s inspired by his very eccentric grandfather with whom the entire village has some mixed feelings toward. And really, this entire novel is Cobalt’s origin. We’ve not really embarked on the true adventure. Rather, we’re all just getting started.

Something I’ve learned over the years as I’ve delved more into reading graphic novels, and especially graphic novels for young adults, is that pacing is one of the most difficult things to manage when you’re telling a story in pictures. You have to spend multiple pages to get through a scene in a way that no one ever really has to do when they’re writing a regular novel. And despite the fact that The Inventor is very clearly a book that’s just the beginning, Erikson does a genuinely brilliant job of managing his pacing.

I never felt rushed through anything, never felt like I didn’t get enough story, and I never felt any irritation about any of it. Usually, that’s not the case. I think Erikson managed time-jumps expertly, both short and longer ones. He set up a brilliant story, spending just enough time with the characters and the rules of their world that you feel truly immersed and attached.

That’s a pretty amazing feat for a book that’s barely 137 pages long.

And my goodness, I could not get enough of that artwork! Every page was beautiful, adorable, and enticing. The way those illustrations pulled me into Cobalt’s world is quite possibly the most impressive feat I’ve seen in a very long time. The world building of the turtle shells alone was just so incredible. And that’s without even getting into how the turtles engage with the characters!

This story was so brilliant, the artwork so beautiful that I will literally be the first one lined up to petition Disney or Dreamworks for a film adaptation. Please, please someone make this dream come true.

And the mystery! I have so many questions that I desperately want answered, to the point that my first reaction to learning that the second book isn’t coming out until September was devastation. This is going to be a painful wait and I’m so upset.

But, I have to say, with a story this great, I’ll concede that it’s worth it.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/15/2024 3.5 stars. It's certainly got potential! Full review tk at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

3/19/2024 Hahaha, omg, Linnea is a much better person than I am, I would never want to speak to Cobalt again after what happens mid-way in this book!

But before we get there, this graphic novel -- with strong overtones of both Hayao Miyazaki and Pokemon properties -- tells the tale of Cobalt Cogg, a young man who wants to grow up to be an inventor just like his grandfather. Grandpa is already viewed with some suspicion by the other inhabitants of Mata-Mata. Despite having brought electricity to the island, Grandpa Alfred is considered something of a menace. While his inventions do make life easier for the islanders, many of them are viewed with distrust, especially by Mayor Barlind, the dad of Linnea, Cobalt's best friend. Mayor Barlind is a traditionalist through and through, and believes that the dangers of Alfred's gizmos don't necessarily outweigh the benefits that they bring.

Cobalt and Linnea, ofc, do not share the mayor's concerns. But a freak accident causes Alfred to be banished from the island, and the friends grow up over the next five years without his presence. When Cobalt finally assembles all the pieces he needs to follow the blueprints Alfred left behind for him, he inadvertently shorts out the power supply that has miraculously run untended for the duration of Alfred's absence. With Linnea's help, he finds a solution... but also a greater mystery. Is the map that Cobalt found in Alfred's abandoned lab showing him where his grandfather is now? There's only one way for our young inventor to find out!

This is a cute series opener that has a lot of potential. Is it weird that I really loved the use of Cyrillic in the village signs? The art is great, and I very much enjoyed the world-building, especially the turtles.

I didn't quite connect with the book emotionally, however, and that's fine! The villagers and I just have different priorities. Considering that they're essentially living in a far future world from ours, this is entirely understandable, given what it's taken for them to survive. I hope that future installments of this series explore why they have the reactions that they do, tho, in addition to showing us more of this fascinating world.

The Inventor, Vol. 1: The Dangerous Discovery by Lars Henrik Eriksen was published January 23 2024 by Papercutz and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inventing spirit, adventure and turtle amazingness gives this one originality and a promise of tons more excitement to come.

Cobalt wants to grow up to be just like his grandfather, a man with a knack for creating awe-striking inventions. But when an invention goes very wrong, Cobalt's life is flipped upside-down. He's determined to continue his dream, but with his grandfather missing and the town facing a new dilemma, he's facing a new adventure.

This read packs energy, imagination, and good vibes in the direction of family and friends. The inventions offer a sense of creative wonder. a hint of fantasy, and a tad bit of humor, giving the perfect atmosphere to let the plot fly in the most amazing ways. But then, the setting itself is fun—a fishing town filled with gigantic turtles. Everywhere. The illustrations are bright and lively, and let the situations come across in a way which draws in and keeps the sense of excitement high...even in the more tense moments.

The creativity in these pages is very entertaining and lets dreams take flight. The characters aren't really fleshed out, yet, since this first volume is more about laying the foundation, but it's obvious that Cobalt is going to be a character to root for. And his turtle. Got to love the turtles. I was a little disappointed to see the bullying side of his grandfather, and that without a hint of wrongness or remorse, but this might lead to more in the future. It definitely promises to be quite the upcoming tale.

I do hope that Volume 2 releases quickly after this first one, and not just because it's a fun tale. This first book lays the setting and background for the upcoming adventure. It is interesting and does a good job at laying the foundation for what's to come. I received a DRC and can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A kid with a weirdly irresponsible inventor grandfather grows up in a fantasy world of giant turtles – they're used to tow fishing boats and so much more, they're so large and strong. Anyway, after the old man knocks up a flying car that uses a new kind of energy – but doesn't exactly behave itself any more than its inventor does – problems only escalate, until the danger levels are just too much to cope with. But that power supply, now – that might still be needed…

What we have is an interesting book, that doesn't quite hang together. The world-building is a touch annoying, as there are other animals and so on peppering the pages – gophers, apparently, as well as the turtles – and all the fish they are goaded and fed with. The grandfather is too one-minded to be the typical, likeable but daffy, potty professor character. And the cartoonishness of it all can get to feel a tiny bit awry when more serious themes turn up, adding some sci-fi to the piece but not really sitting that comfortably here.

Plus, this is definitely just the origin story of a quest of however many books it'll take. It might be over in a trilogy, it might take the creator decades. It looks like the first sequel is in the world, and might hit us in translation soon. But a final word that suggests the author doesn't fully know where this is going only adds to the evidence that this lacks the balance and cohesion to justify more than the three and a half stars I'm giving it.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Inventor is the story of a young boy in a small village of MataMata. He lives with his Mother and their turtle companions. Everyone seems to have a turtle there, with different types of turtles lending themselves to different types of jobs. When the turtles grow they pop off their shell and a new, larger one is underneath, so you find turtle shells all over the place in MataMata and used for many different things. The boy, Cobalt, has a grandfather who is an inventor and Cobalt wants to be just like him. The problem is that his inventions aren't always safe...

The artwork in this book is absolutely gorgeous! Bright colors, beautiful backgrounds, and lots of cute little turtle friends. I love all the things that they use the spare shells for. I also think that it was fun that the artist slipped in some well-known characters in the background, like Ash and Squirtle. There were a few parts in the story that didn't quite make sense, but I feel like the answers will come out in the next book in the series.

The kids are going to love this book!

[Hilary Fudge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this graphic novel was done really well - the story didn't necessarily interest me personally, but I think the appeal for others is there. This story would be good for kids who are really interested in science, but maybe a bit too young for Dr. Stone. The images inside are very cozy, the turtles and how the inhabitants live along side them was adorable. I do think the story skipped over the important part of the main character losing the ability to use his legs, and how he dealt with that. Overall I think this is a good educational-ish graphic novel, maybe for a children on the bit older side of tween or young teen, due to the nature of the main characters accident.

This is probably closer to a 3 or 3.5 if I was basing it solely on my enjoyment and not how I think others might like it and the authors writing.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an advance e-copy #TheInventorVol1TheDangerousDiscovery by Lars Henrik Eriksen to read and review.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

This was a great read reminiscent of those coming of age tales I grew up with out of Japan like Pokémon, My Neighbor Totoro, and Hunter x Hunter. I absolutely loved the full color illustrations on each page, and the art style in general. I also loved the story! The conflict was superficial at first but the addition of Grandpa’s past adventures is a great suspense and excitement builder. Cobalt is a fun MC who has a lot of room to grow. He definitely reminds me of Ash or Naruto or Goku, a goofy kid who has his head in the clouds but is about to discover the wonders (and horrors) of the real world.

Overall, this was a blast and I am totally going to be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one!

[Freya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A full color graphic novel with an attractive cover, tells the story of Cobalt.

Cobalt is a boy who lives in a turtle obsessed village (I loved the turtle shell shaped roofs!) called Mata-Mata, with his mom Magnolia.

His grandpa, who’s an inventor, lives there too and Cobalt loves visiting him and showing him what he’s been working on because Cobalt wants to become an inventor too.

But one day, Cobalt tries to operate one of his grandpa’s machines on his own. It has a dangerous power source and what happens next, changes his life forever.

This leads to and ends with Cobalt going on an adventure, I’m excited to see how this adventure goes and what else happens in the next volume!

Thank you Papercutz and NetGalley, for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is like watching an anime, the artwork and coloring quality are super pro. The light effects are amazing. This volume sets up the world, great world-building, the main character's origin story, and explains the incident that led his grandfather to exile.
There is the mystery of energy and different powers. Also the necessity of energy. The town has a symbiotic existence with turtles and that makes the world unique. Although the main character looks as selfish as his grandfather his journey has just begun and I am certain there will be character growth. Ends with him leaving in search of his grandfather.
The accident is a little violent (burned legs) but it's not about being depressed about it, it's about fixing things later.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-Arc.

[Ricki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gorgeous full-colour art. Story starts out adorable and appropriate for any age. 50 pages in, it takes a turn for the horrific.

It’s possible this could be okay for teenagers depending on the rest of the series, but I was turned off by the high level of trauma and won’t read any more volumes.

It’s a “contract with the reader” problem. If the author had let me know early on that something horrible was going to happen, I would have been like “okay, this is for teens and adults, thanks for the heads-up, I’ll adjust my expectations.” But since the author went for maximum gut-punch instead, they’ve lost my trust. Lucky I preread the whole thing instead of just handing it to my sensitive 11-year-olds and scarring them for life.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

I had so much fun reading this graphic novel. The art was amazing, and perfectly suited the story being told. I was engaged with the design of the characters and also of the world. It seemed like a lot of effort was put into that. I also had a lot of fun with the story. I liked the main characters, and really enjoyed seeing them interact with the world. I also liked that they all had a turtle, with very little explanation of why they did. It was fun and interesting, and I would definitely continue with the series.

[DollarBin ComicWin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, copper-toned adventure that feels like cracking open a lost steampunk kids’ serial. The Inventor kicks off with a burst of curiosity and danger as a young tinkerer’s wild creation spirals into something far bigger than he ever intended. It’s heartfelt, energetic, and driven by that classic “one spark can change everything” spirit. The art leans warm and expressive, full of gears, goggles, and wide-eyed wonder. Beneath the fun, there’s a solid emotional core about responsibility, genius, and the weight of growing up with big ideas. If you enjoy The Last Mechanical Monster or Hilo, this feels like the perfect blend of both.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute book! I adored the artwork and I loved all the cute turtles. The story was a bit dark for a kids book, I wouldn’t recommend to a child unless they’re very desensitized to blood and body horror. But for anyone older who enjoys creepy and cute things, it’s a must read! I would put a trigger warning for people who are triggered by things like blood and amputation. I myself will definitely be looking for part 2! I had a lot of fun reading this one and can’t wait to see where the story takes me next.

[Michael Keany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of the book.

This middle grade fantasy graphic novel shows a lot of promise for a good series in the making. The artwork was fantastic as well. That being said, it is Volume 1 and it ends right when things start to pick up.

It would probably be better to wait to read multiple volumes at once.

[Stacey Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting beginning to a series. The Inventor causes both good and bad things in the community of Mata. I found it intriguing for a middle grade steampunk graphic novel. I was able to read this with a couple of days because I just needed something to clear my mind. But the setting of the story is sometimes hard to figure out. Worth the read if you like graphic novels.

[Beauty and the Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this book in return for an honest review.**

This was amazing! Heartbreaking and fun, whimsical and serious at the same time ❤ I loved all the characters and omg the turtles were so fun! I can't wait to read more about Colbalt's adventures in the continuation of this! Definitely a fun read with a great storyline 😍

[Jenny Wüsthoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Hardcover]

Nice, original story with pleasant illustrations. This is the first volume in a new series.



I feel like it is a common problem in most of these comic books, that the book format doesn't allow space for the story to start properly. The place where the story actually starts is often at the end of the first volume. So I find it hard to make up my mind about a series before I've read 2 or even 3 of them, just like I'd have trouble deciding my feelings on a book after reading the first 30 pages.