The Great Big Boom

Hilo #3

by Judd Winick

Dog Man meets Big Nate in HILO-the hilarious New York Times Bestselling GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES kids love! “A Total BLAST,” says the Miami Herald!

Aah!!!! Everyone’s favorite space boy is BACK! Hilo may look like an ordinary kid, but he’s DEFINITELY not! When we last saw Hilo, DJ, and Gina, Gina had been sucked into a mysterious portal! But friends don’t let friends disappear into NOWHERE! It’s up to D.J. and Hilo to follow her. Will there be danger? YES! Will there be amazing surprises? OF COURSE! Will Gina end up being the one to save them? DEFINITELY! The trio will have to battle bad guys and face disgusting food, an angry mom, powerful magic, and more! Will they survive . . . and make it back to Earth before the portal closes again?!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure

197 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 2017

About the author

Judd Winick is an American cartoonist, comic book writer, screenwriter, and former reality television personality known for his diverse contributions to storytelling across multiple media. He first entered the public eye in 1994 as a cast member on The Real World: San Francisco, where he formed a close friendship with AIDS educator Pedro Zamora, an experience that deeply influenced his later work. Winick memorialized their bond in Pedro and Me, a critically acclaimed autobiographical graphic novel that earned several literary awards and became a staple in school curricula.

Winick's career in comics took off with The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius and continued with major runs at DC Comics, including Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Batman. His stories often explored socially relevant themes, such as HIV, homophobia, and identity. He was recognized for introducing gay characters and tackling difficult subjects with empathy and clarity. His work on Batman notably included resurrecting the character Jason Todd as the Red Hood, a storyline later adapted into the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood, for which Winick wrote the screenplay.

Beyond comics, he created The Life and Times of Juniper Lee for Cartoon Network and served as head writer for Hulu's The Awesomes. In 2015, he launched the Hilo series, an all-ages sci-fi adventure inspired by his own children. The bestselling series has been widely praised and is expected to reach its eleventh volume in 2025.

Winick lives in San Francisco with his wife, Pam Ling, also a Real World alum, and their two children. He continues to create heartfelt and imaginative stories for audiences of all ages.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one finally kicked me hard in the feels. I knew Winick had it in him, and I'm glad he brought some of that into this comic, even though it's "Just for kids."

As an added bonus, my little boys got to see their dad get all teary when reading to them at bedtime. Again.

[Spencer Orey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the first two books but was worried this would be the same thing again. But it wasn't! A lot of exciting new stuff here and a new world. My kid LOVES this series.

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the series....so far.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgot to add this when I finished it. The kiddo and I continue to be big fans.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. It's sustaining the awesome. Hilo remembers more about his past and travels to an alternate dimension with DJ to rescue Gina. Cat people! Portals! Friendship!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judd Winick has truly created a delightful superhero story with his HiLo series. After hearing him speak at a conference I can easily see where these stories come from, the man is a natural storyteller. In this third volume of what promises to be a six book series (per the author), HiLo and D.J. have to find a way to follow Gina into a portal. The story opens with them facing off with the U.S. Army. At first I thought that HiLo would be forced to destroy the tanks and everything, but he comes up with a much more effective, not to mention, less damaging, method of disarming the the military establishment (and no I'm not going to tell you what it is, go find the book if you want to know ;)). Once they find a portal, HiLo and D.J. find themselves on an unknown planet with no idea how to find Gina, especially once HiLo collapses. Thankfully they get rescued by a familiar face and taken to a safe place. Along the way, HiLo continues to struggle to remember how he went from being a villain to being a hero. And of course there is a tribe of machine/weapon wielding warriors that have to be defeated as well. With a great mix of humor and action, Winick has created a winning series for both young and old. Highly recommended.

[Tom Malinowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilo and DJ look for Gina in another world. They meet some familiar faces and Hilo's past is explored more. Just good stuff all around, illustrations, story, and the challenges we all face when it comes to teamwork and accepting the past in order to move forward.

[Emily Scheinman]

this series just keeps getting better and better

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series! Great for kids who like funny science fiction adventure stories.

[Snazzy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[M Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilo,D.j.,and gina meet a talking cat named polly.

[Bene Vogt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d have rated it 4, but my daughter insisted on 5 stars which probably says all that needs to be said.

[K.J. Haakenson]

Reading these books because my brother asked me too <3 this one was my favorite so far

[MerryMeerkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Buy it

This series is just so darned adorable and sweet. It's packed full of adventure. I love the art, I love the story. I can't wait to read more about the new character Izzy. But i’m going to have to wait a year!!!! Highly recommend for all readers.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep loving this series more and more! It started off silly and fun, but it's gaining depth as it goes.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, what makes terrible jokes ("Dad jokes") hilarious is having someone react and explain why it's funny:



Maybe that's me? But what makes a joke funny is the unexpectedness! ←me explaining the joke, but probably not in a funny way

So this is another installment of the curiously hilarious AND heartwarming adventures of Hilo, following up on the prior book's curiously heavy cliffhanger (basically everyone in the WORLD found out about Hilo's secret identity) with a strangely easy out: MASS AMNESIA!

Sure, whatever works! Really cool of the military just randomly discovering two kids in their base and letting them go (not certain that would happen in real life, but fiction is allowed to explore ideas like this). Actually, their original plan is pretty funny, too, given the absurdity of an ENTIRE ARMY holding TWO KIDS at gunpoint... or... tank-turret-point?

There are, as mentioned, a surprisingly large number of really heartwarming bits, too, between the relationships of the Korimako family members and Hilo and Izzy at the end. It's really funny, in that unexpected way, when something just hits all the right heartstrings so perfectly, it's impossible not to love it!

(If you don't, I dare you to go look for your heart. You're missing out!)

Recommended for young readers who love action and bad jokes, but also warm, fuzzy feelings! Maybe check out the earlier books first, though.

[Ben z · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book series this quarter was HILO. the author of this book is Judd Winick. The main theme of this book is that friends can help you get out of any situation as long as you trust them. This is the theme because whenever Hilo was feeling bad his friends would encourage him to keep going. The genre of this book is a graphic novel because it is mostly pictures on the pgs of the books. The setting of this book is on earth but later they travel to different dimensions. The characters in this book are a DJ, a normal kid who is a little scared but isn't afraid to fight to keep his friends from harm, Gina, a female leader who has been friends with DJ for a while and is a good fighter, and last but not least Hilo, the protagonist in this story, he is a robot sent from another dimension to stop the evil robot Razorwark from destroying humanity like he did on Hilo´s planet. Hilo is determined to stop Razorwark in anyway he can to protect the humans and his new friends DJ and Gina. After reading these books I was sad that they ended because I was enjoying them, it was a good time while I was reading because there was always a new problem that they could solve. But it was fun to see that while all the little problems were happening the puppet master Razorwark was always a step ahead. Personally graphic novels like this book intrigue me because of their cool characters and art styles in the book. People who enjoy graphic novels would enjoy this book a lot because the visuals are very cartoony and it is very entertaining to read. It also has funny characters that will make you laugh.

[Deseret News · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing where the second book in the Hilo graphic novel series left off, “Hilo: The Great Big Boom” tells the full-color story of D.J. and Hilo as they portal-travel to find their friend Gina. Along the way, they become involved with two warring factions and Hilo starts to remember experiences he thought were forever lost in his mind.

In book two, Gina was sucked into a portal and D.J., a boy from Earth, and Hilo, a living machine from another planet, were committed to bringing her back to Earth. Their quest continues in this third book and recounts what happens when they travel to the planet Oshun to rescue Gina. Once there, they meet a familiar face and learn that they haven’t left danger back on Earth.

See full review here: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86...

[Meaningful Madness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi-Lo is a robot from a far away planet who comes to earth to help his friends and defeat his maker, whose goal is to get Hi-Lo back and take over the world. In Book #3, HiLo and The Great Big Boom, Hi-Lo and friends are attempting to help Gina who has been sucked into a portal. Hilarity and hijinks ensue.

What I love about graphic novels is that they make content accessible to a broad audience. What I love about Hi-Lo is that the writing is smart, funny, and engaging. The illustrations complement the writing perfectly.

As a former English teacher, I am not the biggest fan of graphic novels; however, because my son is such a fan, I read HiLo: The Great Big Boom for him. And…I enjoyed it. I am so grateful for this medium that has made my son a reader, and I am grateful that Judd Winick has created a world and characters that young readers love and connect with.

[Alicea · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are magical warrior cats in this book. I don't think I need to say anything else because MAGICAL WARRIOR CATS. HiLo and his friends are going up against the ultimate baddie and it's only going to get worse which is why I'm practically vibrating with excitement over Waking the Monsters which is set for release on 1/16/18.

These books are full of heart and what it means to be a loyal friend no matter what (even if there are killer robots). The illustrations are 99% of the reason why I love these books. The colors, characters, and layouts are perfectly married to the hilarious, heartwarming prose. This is a solid 10/10 for me and I have been recommending it so much that now we only have book 2 sitting lonely on our shelves (they're going like hotcakes is what I'm saying). So catch up so that like me you can sit in anticipation for the 4th book to hit the shelves!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding! I love this series. A zany intergalactic romp, great for children 8+ and children at heart. Very funny - I laughed out loud several times - but with big themes - good vs. evil, humans vs. machines, friendship, loyalty, and courage. The main characters are good role models for kids. They are willing to fight for each other and for what they believe in but try not to do harm to others. Plenty of juvenile humour too, but there's a surprising depth underpinning the story. Doesn't preach but gets the point across. Another layer of the mystery of HiLo's past is revealed in this one.

Thanks to Redeemed Reader for the recommendation.

We are Furback Clan!

[erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

y'all--this is one of the best kiddo series evereverever, and this one is the best one yet. Massive good feels, loads of laughs and quotables, c'mon a warrior cat, absolutely solid base of friendship + caring for others...basically it is everything I hold dear. Every time I even read the title my heart expands (read it and you will get why!) Kiddo is now reading massively on own, so has read this muuuuultiple times (and, to my delight, quotes it lotsa). Gee howdy am I ever glad we read it for the first time together.

[Christopher Villa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very funny and cool book.It talks about this kid named Hilo who is a human robot.And he is being targeted by the army because the army thinks he is a danger for society.And he also has these friends Daniel and Sarah.And he is trying to protect them so then the army surrounds them and Hilo opens a portal that can only be opened for a few seconds.And then Daniel and Hilo made it in but Sarah was not able to come in.So then they did an adventure.Read the book to find out if she gets to go home or if she is traped for ever!!!

[Christopher Villa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Hilo is a book with mixed emotions.This book talks about this kid named Hilo who is a superhero but still has feelings like a regular human.And it is also very funny.Hilo has other friends to.There names are Sarah and Daniel.They are just walking down the street,and then suddenly they are being chased by a swat team and army and they are trying to retrieve Hilo,because they say that he is dangerous for the society.So Hilo then try's to go back in time so they would know they were doing that.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the series seems more Hilo's backstory revealed and the introduction of a new, important protagonist. As everyone around D.J. seems to gain magical powers, it is for him to stay true what he is best at - fighting for and caring about his friends - no matter their past indiscretions. Packed with humour and action, there is still a sweet emphasis here on community and forgiveness - you just know that there is going to be something deeper here than simply blasting bad-guys to smithereens - here is a graphic novel series that will, emotionally, delve deeper.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I hated the direction the second book in the series was headed, Winick did a good job of getting it back on track. The humor that was lacking in the second installment but was present in the first returned and there weren't as many unanswered questions. I've felt from the start that this is a great introduction to a reluctant reader into the world of graphic novels and I'm glad to see the series will be worth recommending. Excited for the next one to come out in the spring.

[Karissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the HiLo series and was the best book in this series yet! HiLo and DJ go on a mission to save Gina that takes them to Polly’s (the marital cat) home world. There they will have to fight the Scale Tail clan in order to find Skylark (a super powerful ancient wise bird), help HiLo regain his memories, and find a way back to Earth.

This was a super fun book full of amazing characters, a fun and fast-paced story, and wonderful full color illustrations that are easy to follow and bright and colorful. I love the slowly unraveling mystery behind HiLo’s past. I also really enjoyed meeting Polly’s huge and crazy family.

I wonder if HiLo will finally have to confront Razorwark (the evil robot that is strongly tied with HiLo’s past) in the next book?!

Overall I am really enjoying this series. It is great for all ages and a lot of fun to read. I love all the action, adventure, robots, and humor. I also enjoy the themes around friendship and family. Recommended!

[Chris Diffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilo book 3

Hilo is a robot that crashed to earth, and a boy named D.J. and a girl named Gina found him. But, there are problems. There's a robot named RAZORWARK, who wants to destroy the earth. Now,
Gina got sucked into a portal and they have to find where she is. There are also some other secrets in the book, but you'll have to read the other books in the series to figure those out.
(No spoilers!)

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third instalment of the Hilo graphic novel continues the same humor (one mention of repeat business), illustrations and adventures of the first two. This time our heroes Hilo and DJ must save Gina from the portal she was sucked into at the end of our last adventure. But portal travel is tricky and so are the new enemies they face (when they are not eating rocks. The enemies, not Hilo and DJ). Old friends and new come together to show what being brave is all about.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encontré este cómic de pura casualidad y lo compré porque estaba muy barato. Lo comencé a leer y sentí una vibra muy cálida y divertida, luego de avanzar en la historia me di cuenta que era la tercera parte de una saga. No obstante, no siento que entorpezca el flujo de la historia no haber leído los anteriores libros, es como muy intuitivo. Cuando lo compré, no me imagine lo bonito que iba a sentir, no pude terminar el año con mejor libro. Fue sencillo y dulce, un 4,5.