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Indigo
An intrepid occult reporter discovers that she is the key to the fate of not just humanity, but Earth and the entire universe.
Ella is a reporter for an occult magazine, living what appears to be a normal life. She’s not the best at getting along with people, but she has the special ability to sometimes know what other people are thinking. She also possesses an extreme sensibility which enables her to communicate with plants and animals. One day, Ella learns of the strange death of her college professor and beloved mentor, who seems to have committed suicide by starving to death. Instinct draws Ella to investigate the real cause of the professor's death, which gradually unfolds a series of mysterious incidents which surpass Ella’s wildest imagination. As she investigates further, Ella encounters people who slowly guide her closer to the truth, which causes alternate forces to try and stop her pursuit. With help, Ella overcomes all odds, and in the process discovers she must fulfill her destiny and decide the fate of humanity, Earth...and the universe.
Ella is a reporter for an occult magazine, living what appears to be a normal life. She’s not the best at getting along with people, but she has the special ability to sometimes know what other people are thinking. She also possesses an extreme sensibility which enables her to communicate with plants and animals. One day, Ella learns of the strange death of her college professor and beloved mentor, who seems to have committed suicide by starving to death. Instinct draws Ella to investigate the real cause of the professor's death, which gradually unfolds a series of mysterious incidents which surpass Ella’s wildest imagination. As she investigates further, Ella encounters people who slowly guide her closer to the truth, which causes alternate forces to try and stop her pursuit. With help, Ella overcomes all odds, and in the process discovers she must fulfill her destiny and decide the fate of humanity, Earth...and the universe.
216 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2025
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48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 25, 2025
Even the nice art couldn't save this mess.
This sounded like it was right up my alley. Sci-fi crime thriller? Sign me up. I couldn't say no to that gorgeous cover either.
But the more I read, the more idiotic this turned out to be. It felt like a ten volume series squeezed into one volume. There were so many ideas, and definitely not enough time and space for everything to play out in a remotely decent manner. It desperately needed a developmental editor.
You've got:
❗ indigo children
❗ Chosen One
❗ terrible dialogue ("Ella Summer" is repeated like fifty times)
❗ lizard people (?????)
❗ aliens on Earth
❗ aliens in space
❗ some kind of space-Earth alien treaty
This entire thing ended up feeling like one of those conspiracy theories about lizard people/aliens from outer space hiding on Earth as sleeper agents for some future alien invasion mashed with a story about some pretty blonde young woman as the Chosen One. Why was she the Chosen One when the other Chosen Ones were actual historical figures? Who knows.
Although I did like the author's note on using Cantonese vs. Mandarin. But that's just a me thing.
Thank you to Nakama Press and NetGalley for this arc.
This sounded like it was right up my alley. Sci-fi crime thriller? Sign me up. I couldn't say no to that gorgeous cover either.
But the more I read, the more idiotic this turned out to be. It felt like a ten volume series squeezed into one volume. There were so many ideas, and definitely not enough time and space for everything to play out in a remotely decent manner. It desperately needed a developmental editor.
You've got:
❗ indigo children
❗ Chosen One
❗ terrible dialogue ("Ella Summer" is repeated like fifty times)
❗ lizard people (?????)
❗ aliens on Earth
❗ aliens in space
❗ some kind of space-Earth alien treaty
This entire thing ended up feeling like one of those conspiracy theories about lizard people/aliens from outer space hiding on Earth as sleeper agents for some future alien invasion mashed with a story about some pretty blonde young woman as the Chosen One. Why was she the Chosen One when the other Chosen Ones were actual historical figures? Who knows.
Although I did like the author's note on using Cantonese vs. Mandarin. But that's just a me thing.
Thank you to Nakama Press and NetGalley for this arc.
March 27, 2025
A pretentious sci-fi yarn that desperately wants to be Arthur C. Clarke, but fails because of unbelievable plotting and ridiculous heavy-handed dialogue. It doesn't help that the author has written several (!) overly earnest author's notes in the back, explaining what he was trying to do.
There's some nice art, but this is a stinker, I'm afraid.
(Thanks to Mad Cave Studios for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)
There's some nice art, but this is a stinker, I'm afraid.
(Thanks to Mad Cave Studios for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley)
March 11, 2025
"I have so many questions! I don't know who to ask, everything is happening so fast."
The above quote, from the book itself, pretty much summarises my thoughts on this manhua. It just feels like a whole lot of nothing.
We follow Ella Summers, a "indigo child", who works for a newspaper who looks into the occult and conspiracy theories. Her old professor is murdered and she gets drawn into a plot where she needs to sign a galactic treaty.
I have read this book and if you are reading this review and haven't read the book you know exactly the same that I do about the plot. What's an indigo child, you ask? Good question.
The plot lacks the basics and that is structure and satisfactory development. This was a bunch of ideas mashed together unsuccessfully.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave studios for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The above quote, from the book itself, pretty much summarises my thoughts on this manhua. It just feels like a whole lot of nothing.
We follow Ella Summers, a "indigo child", who works for a newspaper who looks into the occult and conspiracy theories. Her old professor is murdered and she gets drawn into a plot where she needs to sign a galactic treaty.
I have read this book and if you are reading this review and haven't read the book you know exactly the same that I do about the plot. What's an indigo child, you ask? Good question.
The plot lacks the basics and that is structure and satisfactory development. This was a bunch of ideas mashed together unsuccessfully.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave studios for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 17, 2025
Thanks netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this manga.
I was super confused man like I didn’t know wtf was going on with Ella Summers here. She’s meeting such random characters without proper intros and she’s going to places more than me but to what purpose?! It’s just massively unclear what’s going on. I mean the art is pretty good, it’s not fantastic but it’s easy on my blind eyes so I’m not complaining about it. Yep another wasted potential but there ya go…….
I was super confused man like I didn’t know wtf was going on with Ella Summers here. She’s meeting such random characters without proper intros and she’s going to places more than me but to what purpose?! It’s just massively unclear what’s going on. I mean the art is pretty good, it’s not fantastic but it’s easy on my blind eyes so I’m not complaining about it. Yep another wasted potential but there ya go…….
June 17, 2025
1.5 ☆
El diseño es hermoso; especialmente el primero que está a color, es impresionante.
Pero la trama no se por donde agarrarla. La historia en sí me pareció interesante pero siento que todo fue muy rápido y que pasó todo junto. Entiendo que puede ser porque justo así le pasó a la protagonista pero no es mi tipo.
Gracias NetGalley ⭑
El diseño es hermoso; especialmente el primero que está a color, es impresionante.
Pero la trama no se por donde agarrarla. La historia en sí me pareció interesante pero siento que todo fue muy rápido y que pasó todo junto. Entiendo que puede ser porque justo así le pasó a la protagonista pero no es mi tipo.
Gracias NetGalley ⭑
February 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Mad Cave Studios and Nakama Press for providing me with an ARC and giving me the opportunity to share my honest review.
"Indigo" follows the story of Ella Summer, a reporter at a magazine that chases urban legends and conspiracy theories; with the suspicious death of her university professor, Ella's life is suddenly turned upside down, as things she thought were outlandish turn out to be very real after all.
If you're interested in conspiracy theories, this graphic novel is perfect for you. The story is very fast-paced and action-packed, occasionally bordering on being a bit confusing. There is some build-up towards the big reveal, however I think it would have been better if we had been kept in suspense a little while longer. Ultimately, the plot felt rushed, and it's because of that that I can't give "Indigo" a higher rating. That, and the fact that it leans quite heavily into a particularly outlandish conspiracy theory that I personally don't buy.
On the flip side, the art is magnificent. The first few pages are in full color, and the artwork is simply dreamy, and the art style translates really well into the black-and-white pages of the story proper.
"Indigo" follows the story of Ella Summer, a reporter at a magazine that chases urban legends and conspiracy theories; with the suspicious death of her university professor, Ella's life is suddenly turned upside down, as things she thought were outlandish turn out to be very real after all.
If you're interested in conspiracy theories, this graphic novel is perfect for you. The story is very fast-paced and action-packed, occasionally bordering on being a bit confusing. There is some build-up towards the big reveal, however I think it would have been better if we had been kept in suspense a little while longer. Ultimately, the plot felt rushed, and it's because of that that I can't give "Indigo" a higher rating. That, and the fact that it leans quite heavily into a particularly outlandish conspiracy theory that I personally don't buy.
On the flip side, the art is magnificent. The first few pages are in full color, and the artwork is simply dreamy, and the art style translates really well into the black-and-white pages of the story proper.
February 17, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
There was honestly so much smashed together in this novel I had an extremely hard time following the plot. I also don't love a grapic novel that's in black and white. The colors are so brilliant on the cover. They draw you in. Then, disappointment from page 1. At least, that's how I feel about b&w graphic novels. I immediately start struggling to pay attention. So, Indigo having a confusing, hard to follow plot plus it was in black and white made it damn near impossible for me to read.
There was honestly so much smashed together in this novel I had an extremely hard time following the plot. I also don't love a grapic novel that's in black and white. The colors are so brilliant on the cover. They draw you in. Then, disappointment from page 1. At least, that's how I feel about b&w graphic novels. I immediately start struggling to pay attention. So, Indigo having a confusing, hard to follow plot plus it was in black and white made it damn near impossible for me to read.
February 26, 2025
Ouf, I don’t even know where to start. Halfway through this, I was so confused by the plot that I thought this must be a volume 2 or 3 in the story and that is why I was confused, but it was not. A quote from the main character perfectly summarizes my reading experience: "I have so many questions! I don't know who to ask, everything is happening so fast."
I feel like I know nothing more about the story after reading it than before I started. The only thing that made this readable was the great art.
I feel like I know nothing more about the story after reading it than before I started. The only thing that made this readable was the great art.
April 29, 2025
Review submitted online via social media for MadCave Studios.
Stunning visuals! A well crafted story about a girl who is put into the impossible situation of having to be solely responsible for stopping an alien invasion. Some fairly deep lore under the surface, but not terribly complicated to pick up on. Would translate well to a film or mini-series.
Recommend.
Stunning visuals! A well crafted story about a girl who is put into the impossible situation of having to be solely responsible for stopping an alien invasion. Some fairly deep lore under the surface, but not terribly complicated to pick up on. Would translate well to a film or mini-series.
Recommend.
July 2, 2025
5/10.
The (very refined) references are carrying the series.
Outside of them, it's a poorly drawn, poorly strung together simple story.
The (very refined) references are carrying the series.
Outside of them, it's a poorly drawn, poorly strung together simple story.
August 17, 2025
This was such an interesting story. I had no idea where it was going most of the time but in a good way.
April 21, 2025
for some reason this is getting a lot of hate, but it's not that bad!
it reminded me a little of "dirk gently's holistic detective agency" tv show.
we follow a main character, who seems to be the key to saving earth from a galactic war.
the art was pretty, and it some breathtaking panels, and I'm actually interested to read more in the universe, as it didn't asnwer all the questions it posed.
it reminded me a little of "dirk gently's holistic detective agency" tv show.
we follow a main character, who seems to be the key to saving earth from a galactic war.
the art was pretty, and it some breathtaking panels, and I'm actually interested to read more in the universe, as it didn't asnwer all the questions it posed.
May 13, 2025
Indigo moves at a breakneck pace, cramming in exposition after exposition of conspiracy theories without a coherent thread to tie them together. The story feels jumbled and confusing, more like an abstract fever dream than a structured narrative. Someone described it as a story that makes sense while you're dreaming but falls apart the moment you wake up, and I couldn't agree more. It jumps erratically from one idea to the next, making it difficult to follow or invest in.
The only truly redeeming quality is the art, which is undeniably good. The visuals are compelling and well-crafted, but they ultimately feel wasted on a story that lacks clarity or direction. Indigo reads more like an experimental project for an art class than a fully realized, publishable work. If you're here for the story, you'll likely walk away frustrated but if you're just here for the visuals, you might find something to appreciate.
2.5 stars rounded up
The only truly redeeming quality is the art, which is undeniably good. The visuals are compelling and well-crafted, but they ultimately feel wasted on a story that lacks clarity or direction. Indigo reads more like an experimental project for an art class than a fully realized, publishable work. If you're here for the story, you'll likely walk away frustrated but if you're just here for the visuals, you might find something to appreciate.
2.5 stars rounded up
February 14, 2025
1.5 stars
Indigo opens on a galactic background with a being asking our main character Ella Summer to make a choice. After this we go back in time to Ella researching the murder of a college professor.
"I have so many questions! I don't know who to ask, everything is happening so fast."
The quote above, from the manhua itself, pretty much encapsulates my experience with Indigo. Sadly this was not for me. It felt like an idea for a story instead of a story in and of itself. It felt like different concepts and plot points were smashed together without much cohesion, worldbuilding, or character development. All told at a breakneck speed. It's possible I just didn't 'get' this. In the end I was mostly left thinking: What did I just read?
While there were some interesting ideas here, the execution was were this story mostly lacked. This was a story that needed a lot more time to be told properly in my opinion. This could have and should have easily been told over multiple volumes.
"Most indigo children are from far away stars... Old souls sent to earth to help in some way."
Story aside, I did really enjoy Kwong's art style. It is unique and evocative, and the colour use is brilliant. It suits and contributes to the vibe of it all.
Indigo might be for you if you enjoy fast-paced stories, that focus mostly on an overarching plot. This is accompanied by beautiful science fiction art.
Thank you Chi-Ho Kwong, Chi-Kit Kwong and Mad Cave Studios for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Indigo opens on a galactic background with a being asking our main character Ella Summer to make a choice. After this we go back in time to Ella researching the murder of a college professor.
"I have so many questions! I don't know who to ask, everything is happening so fast."
The quote above, from the manhua itself, pretty much encapsulates my experience with Indigo. Sadly this was not for me. It felt like an idea for a story instead of a story in and of itself. It felt like different concepts and plot points were smashed together without much cohesion, worldbuilding, or character development. All told at a breakneck speed. It's possible I just didn't 'get' this. In the end I was mostly left thinking: What did I just read?
While there were some interesting ideas here, the execution was were this story mostly lacked. This was a story that needed a lot more time to be told properly in my opinion. This could have and should have easily been told over multiple volumes.
"Most indigo children are from far away stars... Old souls sent to earth to help in some way."
Story aside, I did really enjoy Kwong's art style. It is unique and evocative, and the colour use is brilliant. It suits and contributes to the vibe of it all.
Indigo might be for you if you enjoy fast-paced stories, that focus mostly on an overarching plot. This is accompanied by beautiful science fiction art.
Thank you Chi-Ho Kwong, Chi-Kit Kwong and Mad Cave Studios for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 9, 2025
Ella is a reporter for an occult magazine, living what appears to be a normal life. She’s not the best at getting along with people, but she has the special ability to sometimes know what other people are thinking. She also possesses an extreme sensibility which enables her to communicate with plants and animals. One day, Ella learns of the strange death of her college professor and beloved mentor, who seems to have committed suicide by starving to death. Instinct draws Ella to investigate the real cause of the professor's death, which gradually unfolds a series of mysterious incidents which surpass Ella’s wildest imagination.
The art work here is absolutely gorgeous. It is easy to see the amount of work and love that went into creating this graphic novel. As the artist explains in the prolog he was given limited space to tell his story. Unfortuanately this is what causes the novel to suffer. The story seems rushed and incomplete, as well as some stumbles in the flow. Maybe the issue is translating this into English something was lost. I dunno just that it felt like I was stumbling through it.
If you are good at reading Manga in it's proper form you may follow the stry better than I could. Either way, because of the art its worth you taking a look.
Expected publishing date; May 20, 2025
Published date April 1, 2025
Thanks to @netgalley and Mad Cave Studios/Nakama Press for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
The art work here is absolutely gorgeous. It is easy to see the amount of work and love that went into creating this graphic novel. As the artist explains in the prolog he was given limited space to tell his story. Unfortuanately this is what causes the novel to suffer. The story seems rushed and incomplete, as well as some stumbles in the flow. Maybe the issue is translating this into English something was lost. I dunno just that it felt like I was stumbling through it.
If you are good at reading Manga in it's proper form you may follow the stry better than I could. Either way, because of the art its worth you taking a look.
Expected publishing date; May 20, 2025
Published date April 1, 2025
Thanks to @netgalley and Mad Cave Studios/Nakama Press for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
February 23, 2025
2.5
First thing, I realized the copy that I was sent was formatted backward. You have to start at the "last" page and swipe backward, but you're actually starting at the beginning and going "forwards". This story had some potential, but it was overall a confusing mess. Ella apparently has the ability to hear others' thoughts, but you only see her use this power maybe once or twice and for non-persons. This story focuses on making several urban legends be true but handles it in such a harebrained way. I also REALLY didn't like that they made Indigo children an actual thing. The story even mentioned in a single line, that Indigo children could just be Autistic. In reality, a lot of "Indigo Child" and "Starseed" kids are just neurodivergent children whose parents would rather think their children are aliens than admit they're Autistic, ADHD, or AuDHD. It's honestly a stupid conspiracy theory that has led to a lot of harm to neurodivergent children. The rest of the story is alright? It goes so quickly, you're left spinning and never fully understanding. I did actually like the art, the art style is very pretty.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
First thing, I realized the copy that I was sent was formatted backward. You have to start at the "last" page and swipe backward, but you're actually starting at the beginning and going "forwards". This story had some potential, but it was overall a confusing mess. Ella apparently has the ability to hear others' thoughts, but you only see her use this power maybe once or twice and for non-persons. This story focuses on making several urban legends be true but handles it in such a harebrained way. I also REALLY didn't like that they made Indigo children an actual thing. The story even mentioned in a single line, that Indigo children could just be Autistic. In reality, a lot of "Indigo Child" and "Starseed" kids are just neurodivergent children whose parents would rather think their children are aliens than admit they're Autistic, ADHD, or AuDHD. It's honestly a stupid conspiracy theory that has led to a lot of harm to neurodivergent children. The rest of the story is alright? It goes so quickly, you're left spinning and never fully understanding. I did actually like the art, the art style is very pretty.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
March 17, 2025
Another story that inevitably shows there’s no point in life. And yet, at the same time there is, if you want one. A never-ending wonder of: Why? And then what?
Which is not an insult to the author(s). Their idea is good and interesting, and could be totally plausible. (Even though very ironic.)
It’s fast-paced and tackles some things only superficially, but that’s not an issue. There was enough answered for the reader to make up their own minds; it’s relatively self-explanatory. I have my theories. And I get their perspective, it makes sense, even though I partially disagree with their views – too cliche. But that’s alright, kinda the point.
Beautiful art, especially the colored prologue.
Reflective.
Not very deep characters and heavy with dialogues, but that’s pretty much the point of this book. I didn’t mind it.
Recommended.
4.5/5 stars, because even though a melancholic emptiness encompassed me after finishing, and the indigo vibe has been captured relatively perfectly, 5 stars feel too much. Not a masterpiece, but worth consuming.
~
Thank you to Mad Cave Studios for an e-ARC.
-12.03.25
Which is not an insult to the author(s). Their idea is good and interesting, and could be totally plausible. (Even though very ironic.)
It’s fast-paced and tackles some things only superficially, but that’s not an issue. There was enough answered for the reader to make up their own minds; it’s relatively self-explanatory. I have my theories. And I get their perspective, it makes sense, even though I partially disagree with their views – too cliche. But that’s alright, kinda the point.
Beautiful art, especially the colored prologue.
Reflective.
Not very deep characters and heavy with dialogues, but that’s pretty much the point of this book. I didn’t mind it.
Recommended.
4.5/5 stars, because even though a melancholic emptiness encompassed me after finishing, and the indigo vibe has been captured relatively perfectly, 5 stars feel too much. Not a masterpiece, but worth consuming.
~
Thank you to Mad Cave Studios for an e-ARC.
-12.03.25
April 4, 2025
My Reviews are based off my enjoyment of the story itself and completely honest
An adventure story about Ella Summer who appears to have been living a normal life as a reporter for an occultist magazine. This takes a turn when the mysterious circumstances of her former professor’s death takes precedent in her life. Ella already has heightened abilities but she never knew the reason for them until the mystery unravels and answers the question shes wanted answered the most; who is she?
I enjoyed the plot and artwork of the comic there were pages that seemed rushed or simply ideas not fully fleshed out but that’s understandable given there was a limited amount of pages. There were many plot holes and I think this would be a fun read if it had some pages to pace it and for the storyline to feel completed. Yet the story was intriguing and was an adventure worth reading. I left the story considering overthinking humanity which is expected when I read any type of sci fy story.
I appreciate the authors notes in the back most books do not necessarily need to be taken too seriously. I had fun. Thanks for coming to my ted talk
Thank you Netgalley and Mad Cave Studios for an early copy.
An adventure story about Ella Summer who appears to have been living a normal life as a reporter for an occultist magazine. This takes a turn when the mysterious circumstances of her former professor’s death takes precedent in her life. Ella already has heightened abilities but she never knew the reason for them until the mystery unravels and answers the question shes wanted answered the most; who is she?
I enjoyed the plot and artwork of the comic there were pages that seemed rushed or simply ideas not fully fleshed out but that’s understandable given there was a limited amount of pages. There were many plot holes and I think this would be a fun read if it had some pages to pace it and for the storyline to feel completed. Yet the story was intriguing and was an adventure worth reading. I left the story considering overthinking humanity which is expected when I read any type of sci fy story.
I appreciate the authors notes in the back most books do not necessarily need to be taken too seriously. I had fun. Thanks for coming to my ted talk
Thank you Netgalley and Mad Cave Studios for an early copy.
April 20, 2025
First a big thank you to NetGalley, the Author, the Artist and the Publisher for this ARC.
This one confused me at first. The NetGalley APP has you reading it backwards.
So I didn't understand why I couldn't understand the way the dialogue was flowing, until I realized, then I had to scroll to the "last" page and start my way from there back to the "first" page. 🙈
Our main character is an "Indigo Child", which makes her special, she can talk to or understand nature, sometimes she reads peoples thoughts, and she kinda has the power to see more and understand more than most people, a little like seeing in the future. We have aliens, people who believe in the super natural, lizard like aliens who want to take over the universe and then an alien organization who has a peace treaty which can only be signed by a "Indigo child" from earth.
This was a lot and not enough.
I still had questions at the end and felt like it could have been a lot more, or that the story could have developed differently and more explored.
The art was gorgeous tho....
This one confused me at first. The NetGalley APP has you reading it backwards.
So I didn't understand why I couldn't understand the way the dialogue was flowing, until I realized, then I had to scroll to the "last" page and start my way from there back to the "first" page. 🙈
Our main character is an "Indigo Child", which makes her special, she can talk to or understand nature, sometimes she reads peoples thoughts, and she kinda has the power to see more and understand more than most people, a little like seeing in the future. We have aliens, people who believe in the super natural, lizard like aliens who want to take over the universe and then an alien organization who has a peace treaty which can only be signed by a "Indigo child" from earth.
This was a lot and not enough.
I still had questions at the end and felt like it could have been a lot more, or that the story could have developed differently and more explored.
The art was gorgeous tho....
Read
March 5, 2025I have chosen not to rate this book because I do not feel my rating would properly reflect the story, as I don't think I'm the target audience for this work. The artwork throughout this graphic novel is beautiful and compelling, but the story itself is reminiscent of the short stories I'd sometimes read in random old SciFi anthologies as a teen, where it felt like I only got a glimpse of the full story through the couple dozen pages provided.
The plot of this novel swirls around Ella, the central character, in a way that evokes many questions while answering very few. Though she herself tries to seek out some of those answers, Ella mostly finds herself dragged along by various supporting characters, her questions largely unanswered, until she is given an impossible choice by beings she can't even be sure she can trust.
Readers who enjoy open-ended stories inspired by conspiracy theories and the unknown may enjoy this graphic novel.
The plot of this novel swirls around Ella, the central character, in a way that evokes many questions while answering very few. Though she herself tries to seek out some of those answers, Ella mostly finds herself dragged along by various supporting characters, her questions largely unanswered, until she is given an impossible choice by beings she can't even be sure she can trust.
Readers who enjoy open-ended stories inspired by conspiracy theories and the unknown may enjoy this graphic novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2025
Thank you for Netgalley for a copy of this ARC!
Indigo hooked me with the cover and the idea of the story. The illustrations were nice, especially the ones about animals (so I give the sole star for the illustrations), but they started out colorful and suddenly switched over to black and white - without any reason I could discover.
Sadly the concept hasn't delivered for me either.
I still say that the idea of the story was great, but it was rushed too much. We barely scraped the surfice of the characters. We got to know something about them and BAM we were speeding somewhere else on a motocycle, meeting up with other characters or BAM getting a flashback and just... overall bouncing around in this universe.
This story had everyhing, but only on a shallow level. I think it would have been best to choose just a few for a first issue and develop the rest slowly, over time.
Indigo hooked me with the cover and the idea of the story. The illustrations were nice, especially the ones about animals (so I give the sole star for the illustrations), but they started out colorful and suddenly switched over to black and white - without any reason I could discover.
Sadly the concept hasn't delivered for me either.
I still say that the idea of the story was great, but it was rushed too much. We barely scraped the surfice of the characters. We got to know something about them and BAM we were speeding somewhere else on a motocycle, meeting up with other characters or BAM getting a flashback and just... overall bouncing around in this universe.
This story had everyhing, but only on a shallow level. I think it would have been best to choose just a few for a first issue and develop the rest slowly, over time.
February 18, 2025
𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐎 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐇𝐈-𝐇𝐎 𝐊𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐆 releases this May!
If you like conspiracy theories then this is the perfect read for you! I really enjoyed the visuals along with the storyline. The illustrations were top tier. This story is a wild, mind-bending adventure! Ella is a reporter with a knack for picking up on people's thoughts and even communicating with plants and animals.
When her old professor dies in a super weird way-starving himself for no clear reason— she dives into the mystery. What starts as a simple investigation turns into a journey through portals, multiverses, and secretive reptilian elites. It's a fun, unpredictable ride that keeps you hooked as Ella races to uncover the truth and figure out her role in saving, well. pretty much everything.
If you like conspiracy theories then this is the perfect read for you! I really enjoyed the visuals along with the storyline. The illustrations were top tier. This story is a wild, mind-bending adventure! Ella is a reporter with a knack for picking up on people's thoughts and even communicating with plants and animals.
When her old professor dies in a super weird way-starving himself for no clear reason— she dives into the mystery. What starts as a simple investigation turns into a journey through portals, multiverses, and secretive reptilian elites. It's a fun, unpredictable ride that keeps you hooked as Ella races to uncover the truth and figure out her role in saving, well. pretty much everything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2025
Let’s start with what works here - the art is tremendous. There are so many details to get lost in and so many evocative panels that I enjoyed my time with. The writing, on the other hand, suffers greatly from something being lost in translation - the dialogue is too often stilted and unnatural, and tends towards exhausting exposition dumps instead of letting things emerge more naturally. The cosmic horror story lurking in the margins is compelling, but the conspiracy sci-fi occult direction this takes was ultimately not for me… a shame, because I think there are some really cool ideas here that don’t congeal into a truly compelling or worthwhile story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Nakama Press for the eARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Nakama Press for the eARC.
April 14, 2025
(For context, I read the story in English. I believe the original is in Cantonese.)
First off, the story is beautifully illustrated. They are interesting and engaging, which is what originally drew me in.
However, I felt it went downhill from there. While the illustrations were beautiful, they were low-res compared to the high quality translated text put in awkwardly large speech bubbles.
In terms of writing, the pacing was rapid fire, throwing lots of exposition onto the reader and lots of action which all happened in a blur. The (translated) dialogue was awkward, and overall the book wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Nakama Press for proving me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First off, the story is beautifully illustrated. They are interesting and engaging, which is what originally drew me in.
However, I felt it went downhill from there. While the illustrations were beautiful, they were low-res compared to the high quality translated text put in awkwardly large speech bubbles.
In terms of writing, the pacing was rapid fire, throwing lots of exposition onto the reader and lots of action which all happened in a blur. The (translated) dialogue was awkward, and overall the book wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Nakama Press for proving me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios | Nakama Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I am not sure why, but this graphic novel was like someone tried very hard to comprise the plot of ten volumes into a single one.
The art was nice, but alas, the plot was all over the place: it was a little bit of everything (aliens, reptilians, weird kids with supernatural abilities, the chosen why - for whatever reason?) all at once. Plus that wouldn't be necessarily bad if the story had time to develop cohesively, to build things instead of throwing them at the reader - plus all the info dump, absolutely not!
It's action-packed, if that's what you wanna call a rushed story with no space to build characters, relationships, tension, or even plot.
I am not sure why, but this graphic novel was like someone tried very hard to comprise the plot of ten volumes into a single one.
The art was nice, but alas, the plot was all over the place: it was a little bit of everything (aliens, reptilians, weird kids with supernatural abilities, the chosen why - for whatever reason?) all at once. Plus that wouldn't be necessarily bad if the story had time to develop cohesively, to build things instead of throwing them at the reader - plus all the info dump, absolutely not!
It's action-packed, if that's what you wanna call a rushed story with no space to build characters, relationships, tension, or even plot.
February 19, 2025
I have a lot of problems with this story. Since the very beginning I had this feeling I was missing big parts of the story, like this was a second issue rather than a first.
The story at some points felt chaotic, and I didn’t enjoy the info dump. It felt erratic, and it lacked a huge component: I could not feel empathy for Ella, our FMC.
The art on this one, is stunning. I really enjoyed the incredible amount of details.
I believe if you enjoy conspiracy theories, you could really enjoy this. I recommend you to give it a try, while this story wasn’t for me, I am sure some of you could really enjoy it.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story at some points felt chaotic, and I didn’t enjoy the info dump. It felt erratic, and it lacked a huge component: I could not feel empathy for Ella, our FMC.
The art on this one, is stunning. I really enjoyed the incredible amount of details.
I believe if you enjoy conspiracy theories, you could really enjoy this. I recommend you to give it a try, while this story wasn’t for me, I am sure some of you could really enjoy it.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2025
Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this beautiful graphic novel. This graphic novel is very pretty. I can tell a lot of care went into this. The art is gorgeous. The plot may be just a tad too metaphysical for me. Within 200 pages, the author covering the unveiling of a mystery that results in the renewal of an intergalactic peace treaty. The author in a post script asks readers to enjoy the adventure and not dwell too much on the finer details. And that's what I decided to do. If you enjoy fast paced story telling that allows for a little interpretation and doesn't spoon feed you, then you may love this. I definitely enjoyed my time with this graphic novel. Thanks again netgalley!!
March 19, 2025
Yikes.
This is a religious manifesto thinly veiled as a story. The authors are just info-dumping their belief in aliens and indigo children and pretending there is a plot. The 'storytelling' is jumpy and chaotic with almost zero follow through. They introduce a mysterious death and then never explain it. This book feels like when you have a dream that makes sense while you're dreaming, but later when you try to explain it you realize it was really just a nonsensical string of images strung together. I'm sure this book makes sense to the authors, but they never connect any of the dots for their readers.
Single star for decent artwork.
This was an ARC from Netgalley.
This is a religious manifesto thinly veiled as a story. The authors are just info-dumping their belief in aliens and indigo children and pretending there is a plot. The 'storytelling' is jumpy and chaotic with almost zero follow through. They introduce a mysterious death and then never explain it. This book feels like when you have a dream that makes sense while you're dreaming, but later when you try to explain it you realize it was really just a nonsensical string of images strung together. I'm sure this book makes sense to the authors, but they never connect any of the dots for their readers.
Single star for decent artwork.
This was an ARC from Netgalley.
April 20, 2025
Thank you NetGalley, Mad Cave Studios, and Nakama Press for this arc
2/5 stars
This started as an interesting concept but quickly got so convoluted and confusing, as well as a bit too out there (even for me, and that's saying something lol I love aliens). Using the concept of indigo children in conjunction with autism is a really harmful practise, and it doesn't sit right with me. And bringing reptilians into this was just so weird?? The art is stunning, and that's the only reason it got 2 stars.
2/5 stars
This started as an interesting concept but quickly got so convoluted and confusing, as well as a bit too out there (even for me, and that's saying something lol I love aliens). Using the concept of indigo children in conjunction with autism is a really harmful practise, and it doesn't sit right with me. And bringing reptilians into this was just so weird?? The art is stunning, and that's the only reason it got 2 stars.
July 16, 2025
"I have so many questions! I don't know who to ask, everything is happening so fast."
I liked the premise for Indigo, Volume 1 by Hong Kong artist Chi-Ho Kwong, that Ella Summer, a reporter for an occult magazine, wants to investigate the mysterious death of a university professor. She has psychic gifts, such as listening to animals and plants, which I thought could figure in, and maybe will.
I found the plot increasingly confusing, but maybe it gets rescued in later volumes? I won’t know, I’m sure. I picked it up from the library’s new graphic novels and manga shelf because of the premise and the art at least initially looked kinda cool.
I went to Kwong’s author page online and he admits: “Except for three loyal readers who have been loyal for many years, the work has been unpopular. But he keeps writing because he enjoys it.” Ha! Good to be self-aware! As a teacher, I say, keep writing! Do what you enjoy!
I liked the premise for Indigo, Volume 1 by Hong Kong artist Chi-Ho Kwong, that Ella Summer, a reporter for an occult magazine, wants to investigate the mysterious death of a university professor. She has psychic gifts, such as listening to animals and plants, which I thought could figure in, and maybe will.
I found the plot increasingly confusing, but maybe it gets rescued in later volumes? I won’t know, I’m sure. I picked it up from the library’s new graphic novels and manga shelf because of the premise and the art at least initially looked kinda cool.
I went to Kwong’s author page online and he admits: “Except for three loyal readers who have been loyal for many years, the work has been unpopular. But he keeps writing because he enjoys it.” Ha! Good to be self-aware! As a teacher, I say, keep writing! Do what you enjoy!
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