Boss of the Underworld: Shirley vs the Green Menace: Book 1

by Tor Freeman

First in a hilarious full-colour graphic novel series by the award-winning Tor Freeman, perfect for fans of Jamie Smart's Bunny vs Monkey. Come with Shirley as she falls down a hole into the Underworld ...

Shirley definitely doesn't want to fight the boss of the Underworld. He has many El Croco, the Rootmaster, Emperor Toothus, the Green Menace ... Nope, Shirley thinks much better to leave the vanquishing to someone else.

Unfortunately, the annoyingly quirky inhabitants of the Underworld have other ideas. Soon, Shirley is off on an epic journey with her new friend, a giant cockroach called George. They'll triumph over all the dangers of the Underworld ... or there'll be hell to pay!

Fast-paced, funny and accessible, this series is fizzing with charm and energy.

Genres: Graphic Novels Comics

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2025

About the author

Tor Freeman has been writing and illustrating books for children for more than ten years. She lives in West London.

Reviews

[Zach Cattell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book really enjoyed it. The sense of humour is amazing would highly recommend it

[Ileana (The Tiniest Book Club) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biiiiiig Tor Freeman fangirl here! Her drawing style and humor just hit the spot for me.

"Shirley vs. The Green Menace" is the first installment of Freeman's "Boss of the Underworld" series and it is so quirky and sooo much fun!

Shirley is telling us the weird story of how she, a kid, became, well, the boss of the underworld. It all started with a coin and a wide open manhole… Down there, Shirley met George, a cockroach who got washed down the drain, and the dynamic duo started their journey to find a way out. The underworld is full of dangers: there's a witch who is hungry for children but cannot get any to visit her broccoli house, there are twin sphinxes who want to pulverize you with their giant claws, there are rat stampedes and there's, of course, THE BOSS.

Dante would be proud of this hilarious comic book and I just cannot wait for part two!

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comic that nicely delivers with the wacky, partly as it has an almost Dantean grounding, where things make sense. Our heroine, Shirley, chases after a £1 coin that rolls along the pavement and down an open manhole cover, and ends up joining it in the underworld. There she is told by a large, talkative cockroach with bright red spectacles that she has to defeat the Big Bad for the only way to get back out. Hence an odyssey through a dodgy forest of dodginess, a bog of the bonkers, and so on. Throughout the art has a quick, slapdash liveliness to everything, but even if things can never stay in the same place from one frame to another, even if they're background matter, you don't care how rough and ready it all is. Shirley and her roach friend make for a likeable pair, it reads really pacily, and almost counts – in the privacy of one's home at least – as an all-ages-friendly drama. I liked it enough to anticipate the sequel(s) – a strong four stars.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quirky, fun graphic novel! Shirley, a young girl who falls down a manhole, ends up in the underworld and needs to find a way out. When she hears of the “boss”, she goes on a quest across the underworld. She makes friends along the way. I loved the illustration style, and the story made me chuckle!

[Emma Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't come across Tor Freeman's work yet, you're in for an absolute treat! Her books are so funny, wry and heartfelt all at the same time. I love this latest graphic novel offering, the first in a new series - where Shirley falls down a manhole and ends up in the underworld befriending a giant sweet cockroach called George. Highly recommend it!!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually insanely good for a kids book/graphic novel. Makes me (an adult) laugh several times reading it, and the drawings are incredible. So detailed, so cute and so endearing. Definitely a kids graphic novel made with love and soul.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is engaging and funny. I love how it refers to some traditional tales in a humorous way. The unlikely friendship between Shirley and George is so adorable.

[Matt Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! A wonderfully silly and hilarious story that actually has a lot of heart behind it - I for one will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the series.

[CJS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great humour. This was a hit in our house.

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immensely charming and a smart, smart introduction to 'quest' structure narratives. Nicely done and genuinely thoughtful, clever stuff.

[Dark Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really funny book for middle grade readers. The drawings are amazing and the story was engaging and made me laugh out loud at times. My 10-year-old loved it.