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Jem and the Holograms Book One
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26- GenresGraphic Novels
320 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
Kelly Thompson
798 books1,096 followersKELLY THOMPSON has a degree in Sequential Art from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Her love of comics and superheroes have compelled her since she first discovered them as a teenager. Currently living in Portland, Oregon with her boyfriend and the two brilliant cats that run their lives, you can find Kelly all over the Internet where she is generally well liked, except where she's detested.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As someone who discovered Jem and the Holograms a bit later than the original 1980’s, but a fan of the series, I wanted to see how this translated to a 21st century update. While it does have some interesting plot lines and has the major set pieces, it lost much of the original spirit and replaces it with a 2010’s CW vibe, with a darker, heavier, angstier, and edgier vibe.
First off, this is a collection of the 2010’s comic series, so there’s little to no brand new material if you followed the comics at the time, but if you enjoyed the series at the time and want to recollect, this is your chance. However, this comic felt more dated in some aspects just a decade later than a 1980’s TV series.
As for the actual story, it has a similar setup to the TV show, but with some adjustments that I liked to start with, like Jerrica struggling to sing in public, and diving in a bit into AI that the 1980’s series didn’t go into. And as the story continued, it felt like instead of going with the light drama, mostly fun vibes, there’s high drama, a ton of heavy romance drama, and a bunch of near death situations taken seriously. The Holograms and Misfits didn’t feel like friendly enemies; the Misfits felt like they wanted to murder the band at least once. While the characters had a baseline, many felt flat beyond it, and several of them were butchered from their original characters. Poor Pizzazz, she wasn’t always the most outstanding character in the original, but she felt meaner and I felt horrible for her.
While I love the use of color for the characters and some of the panels, especially in the song sections, the art’s rather inconsistent in the main story, and there’s plenty of times where the characters were off model. Overall, it’s on the wordy side and the placement of the panels makes the pacing drag. Other things that made the pacing slog was the amount of characters and plot lines introduced in such a short time, to the point that I got lost on what was going on.
The last third of the book are three side stories, called B-Side, which I enjoyed the most. They had a mostly fun tone to them, closer to the original TV show, and I wished the whole story kept that tone, it would’ve made the story more enjoyable to read. Honestly, I thought this was going to be a tone similar or slightly darker to Aikatsu or PriPara, idol anime that came out in the same time period. This story is much darker than K-Pop Demon Hunters.
It might be worth a curiosity to look at and the B-Sides were interesting, but overall a miss in terms of being a successor to an established franchise.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and BOOM!Box. All opinions are my own.*
First off, this is a collection of the 2010’s comic series, so there’s little to no brand new material if you followed the comics at the time, but if you enjoyed the series at the time and want to recollect, this is your chance. However, this comic felt more dated in some aspects just a decade later than a 1980’s TV series.
As for the actual story, it has a similar setup to the TV show, but with some adjustments that I liked to start with, like Jerrica struggling to sing in public, and diving in a bit into AI that the 1980’s series didn’t go into. And as the story continued, it felt like instead of going with the light drama, mostly fun vibes, there’s high drama, a ton of heavy romance drama, and a bunch of near death situations taken seriously. The Holograms and Misfits didn’t feel like friendly enemies; the Misfits felt like they wanted to murder the band at least once. While the characters had a baseline, many felt flat beyond it, and several of them were butchered from their original characters. Poor Pizzazz, she wasn’t always the most outstanding character in the original, but she felt meaner and I felt horrible for her.
While I love the use of color for the characters and some of the panels, especially in the song sections, the art’s rather inconsistent in the main story, and there’s plenty of times where the characters were off model. Overall, it’s on the wordy side and the placement of the panels makes the pacing drag. Other things that made the pacing slog was the amount of characters and plot lines introduced in such a short time, to the point that I got lost on what was going on.
The last third of the book are three side stories, called B-Side, which I enjoyed the most. They had a mostly fun tone to them, closer to the original TV show, and I wished the whole story kept that tone, it would’ve made the story more enjoyable to read. Honestly, I thought this was going to be a tone similar or slightly darker to Aikatsu or PriPara, idol anime that came out in the same time period. This story is much darker than K-Pop Demon Hunters.
It might be worth a curiosity to look at and the B-Sides were interesting, but overall a miss in terms of being a successor to an established franchise.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and BOOM!Box. All opinions are my own.*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I went into Jem and the Holograms Book One without really knowing much about the franchise, and I was surprised by how easy it was to get into. Even as a new reader, I think the story does a good job introducing the characters and the overall vibe of the series. The mix of music, friendship, drama, and colorful aesthetics makes it a really fun and energetic read.
One of the strongest aspects of this graphic novel is definitely the art. The pages are vibrant, stylish, and full of personality, which fits perfectly with the tone of the story and the over-the-top pop star atmosphere. I especially loved how expressive and colorful everything felt. There’s a lot of visual energy throughout the book, and it really captures the emotional and musical side of the narrative well.
However, I have to admit that around the halfway point, the story started to lose me a little. The pacing became more uneven, and some plotlines felt a bit confusing or too intermingled for me to stay fully invested in what was happening. At first, I thought the changes in art style were only meant for bonus stories or side content, but eventually those shifts started happening during the main plot as well. Unfortunately, the difference between the various artists was very noticeable to me, and it sometimes made the reading experience feel disjointed.
I also had mixed feelings about the character dynamics. I liked the cast overall and I can definitely see the potential in all of them, but I would have loved more time dedicated to developing each character individually. Some emotional moments didn’t hit as hard as they could have because everything moved very quickly. The romantic relationships especially felt a little underdeveloped, with some leaning too heavily into insta-love for my taste. The one relationship I genuinely found interesting was Kimber and Stormer’s: their chemistry felt more natural, and I’d actually love to see more focus on them in future volumes.
Another small issue for me was how the friendships were written early on. The group dynamic didn’t always feel as strong or believable as I expected, especially with everyone constantly splitting off, arguing, or getting upset at each other.
By the second half, I found myself losing interest a bit, and the changing art styles didn’t help. Since there are already a lot of characters to keep track of, the visual inconsistency occasionally made it harder for me to immediately recognize who was who beyond their neon hair colors.
Still, despite my criticisms, I did enjoy the overall experience. It’s the kind of graphic novel that feels lively and passionate, even when the storytelling becomes "messy". I think readers who enjoy colorful, music-centered stories with a big cast of characters will still have a lot of fun with it, even if the pacing and structure aren’t always consistent.
I went into Jem and the Holograms Book One without really knowing much about the franchise, and I was surprised by how easy it was to get into. Even as a new reader, I think the story does a good job introducing the characters and the overall vibe of the series. The mix of music, friendship, drama, and colorful aesthetics makes it a really fun and energetic read.
One of the strongest aspects of this graphic novel is definitely the art. The pages are vibrant, stylish, and full of personality, which fits perfectly with the tone of the story and the over-the-top pop star atmosphere. I especially loved how expressive and colorful everything felt. There’s a lot of visual energy throughout the book, and it really captures the emotional and musical side of the narrative well.
However, I have to admit that around the halfway point, the story started to lose me a little. The pacing became more uneven, and some plotlines felt a bit confusing or too intermingled for me to stay fully invested in what was happening. At first, I thought the changes in art style were only meant for bonus stories or side content, but eventually those shifts started happening during the main plot as well. Unfortunately, the difference between the various artists was very noticeable to me, and it sometimes made the reading experience feel disjointed.
I also had mixed feelings about the character dynamics. I liked the cast overall and I can definitely see the potential in all of them, but I would have loved more time dedicated to developing each character individually. Some emotional moments didn’t hit as hard as they could have because everything moved very quickly. The romantic relationships especially felt a little underdeveloped, with some leaning too heavily into insta-love for my taste. The one relationship I genuinely found interesting was Kimber and Stormer’s: their chemistry felt more natural, and I’d actually love to see more focus on them in future volumes.
Another small issue for me was how the friendships were written early on. The group dynamic didn’t always feel as strong or believable as I expected, especially with everyone constantly splitting off, arguing, or getting upset at each other.
By the second half, I found myself losing interest a bit, and the changing art styles didn’t help. Since there are already a lot of characters to keep track of, the visual inconsistency occasionally made it harder for me to immediately recognize who was who beyond their neon hair colors.
Still, despite my criticisms, I did enjoy the overall experience. It’s the kind of graphic novel that feels lively and passionate, even when the storytelling becomes "messy". I think readers who enjoy colorful, music-centered stories with a big cast of characters will still have a lot of fun with it, even if the pacing and structure aren’t always consistent.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for this arc
As a long time Jem fan, thanks to my mother buying the DVDs of one of her teen-years shows, I was super excited for this graphic novel. However, I found myself very let down. While this might be a good edition for someone just meeting Jem, especially young girls, I did not enjoy much of it.
Firstly, the main girls. Opening to them acting like absolute assholes was an interesting decision. Why are they talking bad about Jerrica? Off the bat I'm questioning it. In the same vein, why have we drastically changed their motivation? The Starlight Foundation, Starlight Music? Gone. Now they just feel like doing music, which removes any of the emotional impact of saving their father's company from Eric's hands and keeping themselves and the girls housed. What do they even do for a living now? There's nothing about working, needing money, anything.
Side characters were a struggle. Rio was weird. A reporter instead of Jerrica's longtime boyfriend? No sort of love triangle with him and Jem, he just hates Jem. Eric doesn't show up until half way through even though he was the major antagonist? The Starlight girls are barely there, the band just volunteers at a community center now. And the Misfits? A popular, established band, not the main rivals with Jem. It's like they took the plot of Cruella (rising designer against established one) instead of the show's actual plot of two rising bands competing at the same level.
And some of the plot twists? What? What do you mean What is happening?
And so many other little odd choices. A food fight that gets the Holograms kicked out of the contest? The sheer amount of My Little Pony references? And a very inconsistent art style, the girls go from looking like adults to looking like high schoolers and I'm lost.
I will say, Kimber being queer was cool, and the secret dating with Stormer was fun. I liked that element. And I appreciate the inclusion of special comics like holiday editions in the back.
All in all, I was disappointed by this graphic novel, though someone without exposure to the source material might enjoy it. I, personally, will be shelving it with the Netflix's Jem and the Holograms movie as a remake I don't want to consume.
As a long time Jem fan, thanks to my mother buying the DVDs of one of her teen-years shows, I was super excited for this graphic novel. However, I found myself very let down. While this might be a good edition for someone just meeting Jem, especially young girls, I did not enjoy much of it.
Firstly, the main girls. Opening to them acting like absolute assholes was an interesting decision. Why are they talking bad about Jerrica? Off the bat I'm questioning it. In the same vein, why have we drastically changed their motivation? The Starlight Foundation, Starlight Music? Gone. Now they just feel like doing music, which removes any of the emotional impact of saving their father's company from Eric's hands and keeping themselves and the girls housed. What do they even do for a living now? There's nothing about working, needing money, anything.
Side characters were a struggle. Rio was weird. A reporter instead of Jerrica's longtime boyfriend? No sort of love triangle with him and Jem, he just hates Jem. Eric doesn't show up until half way through even though he was the major antagonist? The Starlight girls are barely there, the band just volunteers at a community center now. And the Misfits? A popular, established band, not the main rivals with Jem. It's like they took the plot of Cruella (rising designer against established one) instead of the show's actual plot of two rising bands competing at the same level.
And some of the plot twists? What? What do you mean What is happening?
And so many other little odd choices. A food fight that gets the Holograms kicked out of the contest? The sheer amount of My Little Pony references? And a very inconsistent art style, the girls go from looking like adults to looking like high schoolers and I'm lost.
I will say, Kimber being queer was cool, and the secret dating with Stormer was fun. I liked that element. And I appreciate the inclusion of special comics like holiday editions in the back.
All in all, I was disappointed by this graphic novel, though someone without exposure to the source material might enjoy it. I, personally, will be shelving it with the Netflix's Jem and the Holograms movie as a remake I don't want to consume.
May 25, 2026
Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
As a child of the ‘80’s, I found this book very nostalgic. We had very few good female main characters at the time and Jem and the Holograms(and the Misfits) were some of the them. I loved Gem and the Holograms(GATH) as a child. This was a very good reboot. It kept what was great about GATH but modernized it. We now have queer and BIPOC characters❤️ alongside Jerrica and Rio. I love the neon/pastel punk aesthetic. It was so familiar(in a good way) but made even better(without taking away what made it so special in the 1st place).
Early on we meet Jerrica and the Holograms and learn that Jerrica has stage fright. We meet Synergy pretty quickly although we don’t know much about them. Synergy helps Jerrica be able to go on stage. We learn that the Holograms are entering a competition set up by the Misfits. We also get the Misfits POV and they are set up as the Villians, particularly Pizzazz. The story follows the main plot points of the original story from there with a modern lens, from what I remember, except we have the introduction of a cute queer romance.
I didn’t need some of the later volumes(b sides) but they also didn’t bother me. I am interested in where things go with Synergy and I LOVE this version of Kimber. Pizzazz is giving me some Cruella vibes and I’m here for that as well. I’m definitely interested in reading book 2.
As a child of the ‘80’s, I found this book very nostalgic. We had very few good female main characters at the time and Jem and the Holograms(and the Misfits) were some of the them. I loved Gem and the Holograms(GATH) as a child. This was a very good reboot. It kept what was great about GATH but modernized it. We now have queer and BIPOC characters❤️ alongside Jerrica and Rio. I love the neon/pastel punk aesthetic. It was so familiar(in a good way) but made even better(without taking away what made it so special in the 1st place).
Early on we meet Jerrica and the Holograms and learn that Jerrica has stage fright. We meet Synergy pretty quickly although we don’t know much about them. Synergy helps Jerrica be able to go on stage. We learn that the Holograms are entering a competition set up by the Misfits. We also get the Misfits POV and they are set up as the Villians, particularly Pizzazz. The story follows the main plot points of the original story from there with a modern lens, from what I remember, except we have the introduction of a cute queer romance.
I didn’t need some of the later volumes(b sides) but they also didn’t bother me. I am interested in where things go with Synergy and I LOVE this version of Kimber. Pizzazz is giving me some Cruella vibes and I’m here for that as well. I’m definitely interested in reading book 2.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5 stars rounded up.
I'm just going to be blunt. If you're a fan of the original cartoon, I cannot recommend this reimagining.
The art is so very not my cup of tea and not in the spirit of the original. ~Glamour and glitter, fashion and fame~
No one in this book is well dressed. Jerrica dresses like a reject from Blossom and looks and acts like she's about 14, instead of the strong, independent businesswoman she's suposed to be. Kimber is for some reason freakishly tall and suffers from albinism? is auditioning to be the Joker? I do not understand her character design here. And Aja and Shana look like clown college dropouts. The Misfits are equally distorted.
As far as the plot goes, none of the changes are for the better. The sisters are all planning their exits from the band, Eric is an afterthought, Rio hates Jem, and Jem actually has so little screentime that it's almost bizarre that she's the title of the book.
As a fan of the original, much like that horrible live action movie (that I did DNF), this is not what I was hoping for. I would love to see a continuation of the original series. See the culmination of the Jem-Jerrica-Rio-Riot love cube or whatever shape that was. See Kimber grow up a bit. See more of the Starlight girls.
I also really missed the music. There were lyrics on some of the pages, but the layout and color choices made them difficult to read. I couldn’t get the characters to sing them in my head (but that's probably a me issue.)
I'm just going to be blunt. If you're a fan of the original cartoon, I cannot recommend this reimagining.
The art is so very not my cup of tea and not in the spirit of the original. ~Glamour and glitter, fashion and fame~
No one in this book is well dressed. Jerrica dresses like a reject from Blossom and looks and acts like she's about 14, instead of the strong, independent businesswoman she's suposed to be. Kimber is for some reason freakishly tall and suffers from albinism? is auditioning to be the Joker? I do not understand her character design here. And Aja and Shana look like clown college dropouts. The Misfits are equally distorted.
As far as the plot goes, none of the changes are for the better. The sisters are all planning their exits from the band, Eric is an afterthought, Rio hates Jem, and Jem actually has so little screentime that it's almost bizarre that she's the title of the book.
As a fan of the original, much like that horrible live action movie (that I did DNF), this is not what I was hoping for. I would love to see a continuation of the original series. See the culmination of the Jem-Jerrica-Rio-Riot love cube or whatever shape that was. See Kimber grow up a bit. See more of the Starlight girls.
I also really missed the music. There were lyrics on some of the pages, but the layout and color choices made them difficult to read. I couldn’t get the characters to sing them in my head (but that's probably a me issue.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have been a long time fan of Sophie Campbell's work, and always loved her take on Jem and the girls. Though I was intrigued, I never actually got around to reading the comics, so I thought this book collecting volumes 1-10 would be a great way to start.
For all the chapters illustrated by Campbell I was totally invested. There is plenty to take in from all the costume designs and hair styles, and the plot was fun enough to keep me engaged. I knew that Campbell would not be the illustrator for the entirety of the series, but I was surprised by how much I lost interest once the artists started changing more frequently. A lot of the other styles are also great, I just find Campbell's mix of colorful and edgy to be perfect for the Holograms and the Misfits. I found the plot also lost my attention at this point as well. At first I thought that the art change signified only bonus stories, but eventually more of the actual plot started to work its way in as well. It starts to feel like the pacing gets lost and the side stories are too intermingled with everything else for me to keep focused on what is actually going on.
The preview at the end for book 2 is back in Sophie Campbell's style, and I know the Dark Jem arc is upcoming, so maybe I would give the series another shot to see if it gets back on track.
Many thanks to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the digital ARC!
For all the chapters illustrated by Campbell I was totally invested. There is plenty to take in from all the costume designs and hair styles, and the plot was fun enough to keep me engaged. I knew that Campbell would not be the illustrator for the entirety of the series, but I was surprised by how much I lost interest once the artists started changing more frequently. A lot of the other styles are also great, I just find Campbell's mix of colorful and edgy to be perfect for the Holograms and the Misfits. I found the plot also lost my attention at this point as well. At first I thought that the art change signified only bonus stories, but eventually more of the actual plot started to work its way in as well. It starts to feel like the pacing gets lost and the side stories are too intermingled with everything else for me to keep focused on what is actually going on.
The preview at the end for book 2 is back in Sophie Campbell's style, and I know the Dark Jem arc is upcoming, so maybe I would give the series another shot to see if it gets back on track.
Many thanks to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the digital ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
I grew up watching the Jem and the Holograms tv show from the 80s, since it was something my mom loved and passed down to me. I feel like I had extremely high hopes which led me to get a little disappointed here. The story sticks to mostly the original, but there is a lack of backstory behind the girls and Synergy that I remember from the TV show that is not mentioned at all. I would have liked for there to be more backstory, as well as for Jerrica to be painted in less like a scared overworked kid and more of a stronger older sister instead of almost picturing her as being used by the other girls. I also feel that the story has been made into being too modern to the point where I feel like some of the best magic of the show just doesn't come into this comic form.
That being said, the comic itself wasn't bad at all. The characters were dynamic and the plot was fast paced enough to where I kept reading. I do wish that there wasn't the occasional change in artist as I definitely liked some more than others. It was a fun read focusing on music and sisterhood, but as a fan of the 80s show, I was left wanting something more and a little different than what was received.
I grew up watching the Jem and the Holograms tv show from the 80s, since it was something my mom loved and passed down to me. I feel like I had extremely high hopes which led me to get a little disappointed here. The story sticks to mostly the original, but there is a lack of backstory behind the girls and Synergy that I remember from the TV show that is not mentioned at all. I would have liked for there to be more backstory, as well as for Jerrica to be painted in less like a scared overworked kid and more of a stronger older sister instead of almost picturing her as being used by the other girls. I also feel that the story has been made into being too modern to the point where I feel like some of the best magic of the show just doesn't come into this comic form.
That being said, the comic itself wasn't bad at all. The characters were dynamic and the plot was fast paced enough to where I kept reading. I do wish that there wasn't the occasional change in artist as I definitely liked some more than others. It was a fun read focusing on music and sisterhood, but as a fan of the 80s show, I was left wanting something more and a little different than what was received.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Art: ★★★☆☆
Story/Events: ★★★☆☆
Characters: ★★★★☆
Relationships: ★★☆☆☆
I didn’t know there was a TV series on Jem and the Holograms, but I have seen other comics centered on them. No, I haven’t read them either and thought maybe this is where I should start.
I’m not sure I liked how they established the friends shittalking each other in the first issue. Their bond didn’t feel as solid with everyone going off to do their own thing and getting real pissy about their friends not being there. The way they were written and their dialogues feel a lil juvenile imo.
The love interests were underdeveloped and suffered from insta-love. I didn’t really care for them. The only one I eventually found cute was Kimber’s relationship with Stormer. I feel like their story has a lot of potential in it.
I lost interest in the story about halfway. It didn’t help that the art style changes too and as someone who doesn’t fully remember the multitude of characters here, I can only sort of identify them by the color of their neon hair.
So no, I don’t think this was the best way to get into the series. Maybe I’ll try again with a different comic or even check out the OG TV show.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this graphic novel.
Story/Events: ★★★☆☆
Characters: ★★★★☆
Relationships: ★★☆☆☆
I didn’t know there was a TV series on Jem and the Holograms, but I have seen other comics centered on them. No, I haven’t read them either and thought maybe this is where I should start.
I’m not sure I liked how they established the friends shittalking each other in the first issue. Their bond didn’t feel as solid with everyone going off to do their own thing and getting real pissy about their friends not being there. The way they were written and their dialogues feel a lil juvenile imo.
The love interests were underdeveloped and suffered from insta-love. I didn’t really care for them. The only one I eventually found cute was Kimber’s relationship with Stormer. I feel like their story has a lot of potential in it.
I lost interest in the story about halfway. It didn’t help that the art style changes too and as someone who doesn’t fully remember the multitude of characters here, I can only sort of identify them by the color of their neon hair.
So no, I don’t think this was the best way to get into the series. Maybe I’ll try again with a different comic or even check out the OG TV show.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this graphic novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 ⭐
Even though I’ve never read anything related to Jem and the Holograms before, I didn’t feel lost at all. New readers can definitely jump into this without needing previous knowledge of the franchise.
I really enjoyed the beautiful and colorful art style of this graphic novel. Every page felt vibrant and energetic, and it matched the overall tone of the story really well. I also loved the little Mad Max reference.
That said, I wasn’t completely sold on the decision to have multiple artists/writers contributing to the story. At times it made the pacing feel uneven, with some moments feeling rushed while others didn’t fully make sense to me. The transitions between parts of the story could feel a bit disjointed.
I did enjoy the characters and thought they were written well overall, but I would have loved more development and page time for each of them. There’s a lot of potential there, and I wanted to get to know them better by the end.
Overall, this was a fun and visually stunning read, especially for readers looking for a colorful and music-themed graphic novel experience.
Even though I’ve never read anything related to Jem and the Holograms before, I didn’t feel lost at all. New readers can definitely jump into this without needing previous knowledge of the franchise.
I really enjoyed the beautiful and colorful art style of this graphic novel. Every page felt vibrant and energetic, and it matched the overall tone of the story really well. I also loved the little Mad Max reference.
That said, I wasn’t completely sold on the decision to have multiple artists/writers contributing to the story. At times it made the pacing feel uneven, with some moments feeling rushed while others didn’t fully make sense to me. The transitions between parts of the story could feel a bit disjointed.
I did enjoy the characters and thought they were written well overall, but I would have loved more development and page time for each of them. There’s a lot of potential there, and I wanted to get to know them better by the end.
Overall, this was a fun and visually stunning read, especially for readers looking for a colorful and music-themed graphic novel experience.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This picks up from the very creation of Jem and the Holograms with a brief overview of the sister's past. Follow their journey of going on tour with The Misfits and some romantic interests on the way.
I think this will draw new fans of Jem and the Holograms. Those who grew up Jem and the girls may feel a bit disappointed though. There have been many updated additions to the story such as language and a lesbian romance. It has a more GenAlpha feel to the story, so it will resonate with a newer generation.
The artwork was great, and the essence Jem is still there, but at the end of the day, I don't want my family to read it. It takes away who and what I know Jem to be and I'm not sure I want to spoil that original version in my head. (Note: the girls are still mean girls...that hasn't changed.)
Would I recommend it to those with no preconceived notions of Jem - YES! I want new generations to love this group of girls the way I did. But I don't want the original ruined for my family.
***NetGalley ARC Review***
I think this will draw new fans of Jem and the Holograms. Those who grew up Jem and the girls may feel a bit disappointed though. There have been many updated additions to the story such as language and a lesbian romance. It has a more GenAlpha feel to the story, so it will resonate with a newer generation.
The artwork was great, and the essence Jem is still there, but at the end of the day, I don't want my family to read it. It takes away who and what I know Jem to be and I'm not sure I want to spoil that original version in my head. (Note: the girls are still mean girls...that hasn't changed.)
Would I recommend it to those with no preconceived notions of Jem - YES! I want new generations to love this group of girls the way I did. But I don't want the original ruined for my family.
***NetGalley ARC Review***
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Boom Studios for a digitial copy of this graphic novel in exchange for my review!
I had never heard of this franchise before seeing this graphic novel on netgalley so I cannot account for the nostalgia that others feel. I thought it was alright as a graphic novel, the art was good and the story made sense, if a little rushed. I feel like I did not get a great grasp of the characters individually like I would have liked to. The bright colors and alternative styles of all of the characters is definitely specific but it wasn't really to my personal taste and I wish there was more background about their style and also how everyone are sisters...and how all of their parents died? Maybe stuff like that is coming later but I thought it was a little difficult to connect to the characters and found them a little annoying.
I had never heard of this franchise before seeing this graphic novel on netgalley so I cannot account for the nostalgia that others feel. I thought it was alright as a graphic novel, the art was good and the story made sense, if a little rushed. I feel like I did not get a great grasp of the characters individually like I would have liked to. The bright colors and alternative styles of all of the characters is definitely specific but it wasn't really to my personal taste and I wish there was more background about their style and also how everyone are sisters...and how all of their parents died? Maybe stuff like that is coming later but I thought it was a little difficult to connect to the characters and found them a little annoying.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC Review: ⭐️⭐️
It hits those 80s/90s vibes perfectly. Nostalgic and colorful. Love the costume designs and makeup. I never watched the original show, but I've seen this idea redone quite a few times over the years. Without that personal connection to the original story this came across as something I've seen before.
The storyline feels chaotic, childish, and I'm having a heck of time pinning down how old these characters are supposed to be. A lot is skipped over. No build up to most of the relationships. Intense art style changes after the 64% of the book.
There are some really intriguing threads woven into the background here - the use of AI, lack of oversight, and greed. Good for future plot which gives it potential to become a more complex story.
Thank you NetGalley and Boom! Box for this ARC!
It hits those 80s/90s vibes perfectly. Nostalgic and colorful. Love the costume designs and makeup. I never watched the original show, but I've seen this idea redone quite a few times over the years. Without that personal connection to the original story this came across as something I've seen before.
The storyline feels chaotic, childish, and I'm having a heck of time pinning down how old these characters are supposed to be. A lot is skipped over. No build up to most of the relationships. Intense art style changes after the 64% of the book.
There are some really intriguing threads woven into the background here - the use of AI, lack of oversight, and greed. Good for future plot which gives it potential to become a more complex story.
Thank you NetGalley and Boom! Box for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted ARC copy of Jem and the Holograms
The artwork in this comic was absolutely gorgeous. I found myself admiring the illustrations more than actually reading the story at times. The colors, character designs, and overall visual style were magnificent and definitely the highlight for me.
Unfortunately, the story itself did not work as well for me. It felt a little too long, and the tone leaned much younger and more teenage-focused than I expected. I went in hoping for more of that edgy “K-pop Demon Hunters” vibe, so I think my expectations may have been a bit different from what the comic was aiming for.
Sadly, this one just was not for me, but I can still appreciate how stunning the artwork was throughout the book.
The artwork in this comic was absolutely gorgeous. I found myself admiring the illustrations more than actually reading the story at times. The colors, character designs, and overall visual style were magnificent and definitely the highlight for me.
Unfortunately, the story itself did not work as well for me. It felt a little too long, and the tone leaned much younger and more teenage-focused than I expected. I went in hoping for more of that edgy “K-pop Demon Hunters” vibe, so I think my expectations may have been a bit different from what the comic was aiming for.
Sadly, this one just was not for me, but I can still appreciate how stunning the artwork was throughout the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is an updated version of Jem and collects 12 issues of the comic into one book. I had fun reading it and one panel even made me laugh out loud. I like the characters and the colors used are bright and fun.
The book sticks to the main story of Jem and the Holograms wanting to be a famous band, but struggling due to their singer's stage fright. That's when they discover Synergy and their lives change. I liked the two main romances and the third one seems kind of thrown in there, but it's nice. I would read Book Two.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
The book sticks to the main story of Jem and the Holograms wanting to be a famous band, but struggling due to their singer's stage fright. That's when they discover Synergy and their lives change. I liked the two main romances and the third one seems kind of thrown in there, but it's nice. I would read Book Two.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was fun, and very colorful. I never watched the show growing up (my sister did) but I am guessing that its quite different from this comic anyways based on a few details. I also assumed this comic was from the 80’s but turns out I was wrong.
This story is fairly simple and straightforward (perfect for what I assume is the young target audience) and easy to read. I don’t think it was particularly incredible in terms of story (though its only the first ten chapters so it probably builds from there) but it was a lot of fun regardless. I think this delivers on exactly what it promised, so in that context it did a great job.
I'm annoyed now that I don’t have the rest of the series, hah!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
This story is fairly simple and straightforward (perfect for what I assume is the young target audience) and easy to read. I don’t think it was particularly incredible in terms of story (though its only the first ten chapters so it probably builds from there) but it was a lot of fun regardless. I think this delivers on exactly what it promised, so in that context it did a great job.
I'm annoyed now that I don’t have the rest of the series, hah!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and Boom for my review copy.
This contains all 1-10 installments and the little extra B-side stories.
I really enjoyed this as the start but I'll admit that the changing artstyle put me off. I realise that this is very much a me thing but my brain just disconnects. I have the same issue in books if you have multiple fonts.
I feel like this is a really good choice for people who loved Jem and has massive nostalgia appeal. Having very little idea of Jem I came away liking it but not loving it.
This contains all 1-10 installments and the little extra B-side stories.
I really enjoyed this as the start but I'll admit that the changing artstyle put me off. I realise that this is very much a me thing but my brain just disconnects. I have the same issue in books if you have multiple fonts.
I feel like this is a really good choice for people who loved Jem and has massive nostalgia appeal. Having very little idea of Jem I came away liking it but not loving it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted to read this since I did like K-pop demon hunters which I loved the music more than its story and this is exactly the same tbh. If this had music that you can listen, I say it would be a banger but unfortunately the story was all over the place when we see the Jerrica character be transformed. I felt the story was just disjointed and boring that I had to skim all of it unfortunately. I do like the colours but that was about it. Maybe if this became a series/movie with banger music, I might change my mind!
Got this via Netgalley and publisher
Got this via Netgalley and publisher
Did Not Finish
May 14, 2026The storyline feels chaotic, childish, and I'm having a heck of time pinning down how old these characters are supposed to be.
I personally struggle to get into it and I gave up at some point. It was hard to follow and sometimes I genuinely could understand some of the sentences. I'm not a native English reader but I should be able to understand most of it. Apparently not.
I like the art style because tho, it remind me of the comics I used to read as a child.
I personally struggle to get into it and I gave up at some point. It was hard to follow and sometimes I genuinely could understand some of the sentences. I'm not a native English reader but I should be able to understand most of it. Apparently not.
I like the art style because tho, it remind me of the comics I used to read as a child.
May 16, 2026
Fun Fact: 80s cartoons made up the majority of my childhood, and Jem and the Holograms was one of them. This graphic novel is the very modern Gen-Z version of it, and it's a cute read for a quick reminiscence or mental escape.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This graphic novel is so much fun, it brings back great memories of watching Jem as a child. The art is amazing. Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
May 10, 2026
Kiddo loved this book - gorgeous graphics and a super fun story. She can’t wait for book 2 & immediately ordered a copy for her MANGA collection which means it’s a winner. 🥳
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
it’s was really fun! maybe just not my thing anymore mixed with a bit of graphic novel fatigue. I did enjoy all the color and the romances, but some of the plot was just like super ridiculous to me
review-netgalley
May 26, 2026(Review copy courtesy of BOOM!Box, Kelly Thompson, Sophie Campbell, and NetGalley.)
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