What do you think?
Rate this book
Smash #2
SMASH 2: Fearless
Superhero. Super young. Super freaked out! In his second adventure, Smash has his hands full with old enemies and a few new ones — not to mention homework.
Thanks to a strange twist of fate — and a massive explosion — Andrew’s dream of having the strength and abilities of his superhero idol came true, and Smash was born. Great, right? Wrong! As superhero Smash, Andrew finds himself in a losing battle with the one emotion no hero should ever fear . And he definitely didn’t count on becoming the prime target of Magus, the vilest supervillain of all time, who will stop at nothing to steal Smash’s powers. It’s going to take Andrew everything he’s got to conquer his fears, safeguard the city, keep his identity a secret . . . and pass the fifth grade.
Thanks to a strange twist of fate — and a massive explosion — Andrew’s dream of having the strength and abilities of his superhero idol came true, and Smash was born. Great, right? Wrong! As superhero Smash, Andrew finds himself in a losing battle with the one emotion no hero should ever fear . And he definitely didn’t count on becoming the prime target of Magus, the vilest supervillain of all time, who will stop at nothing to steal Smash’s powers. It’s going to take Andrew everything he’s got to conquer his fears, safeguard the city, keep his identity a secret . . . and pass the fifth grade.
- GenresGraphic Novels
160 pages, Paperback
Published May 8, 2018
2 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 30, 2018
I really enjoyed the oversized version of this wonderful vibrant graphic read! I found it easy to follow along and liked the storyline..as the speech really linked well with the illustrations!
I can see this being a read that will fly off the shelves!
Thank you goodreads and Candlewick Press for this awesome giveway!! I am going to get this for my school libraries for sure!!
Recommended read!
Five Stars!!
I can see this being a read that will fly off the shelves!
Thank you goodreads and Candlewick Press for this awesome giveway!! I am going to get this for my school libraries for sure!!
Recommended read!
Five Stars!!
June 25, 2018
Smash is back and not a moment too soon. Look, I like dark and gritty as much as the next comics fan. But I also miss joyful and playful, like the comics of my childhood. Smash delivers that and then some. Andrew/Smash is a fantastic hero, but also a fully realized kid with all of the silliness, doubt, fear, and fun that comes with that. And that’s the real emotional anchor here. You cannot help but root for him because he’s vulnerable, even as the flying superhero Smash. So when he digs deep and pulls up the courage to take on his nemesis, the Magus, it means something. This is why I gave a copy to my friends’ kid — here’s a hero that overcomes his fear without denying his vulnerability. That’s a real lesson. For all ages.
The story is fast-paced but has room to breathe — and has a clear arc of action as well as character development for all the heroes and villains. (This is a sequel, though, and it’s definitely enhanced by reading the first book.) The art is excellent. Colors pop off the page.
And it’s a good value! There’s a lot of story in here. This is not just burned through in 20 minutes. It’s kind of a movie in book form. And totally worth re-reading to pick up on all of the details hidden throughout the book.
Cannot recommend it enough for all ages.
The story is fast-paced but has room to breathe — and has a clear arc of action as well as character development for all the heroes and villains. (This is a sequel, though, and it’s definitely enhanced by reading the first book.) The art is excellent. Colors pop off the page.
And it’s a good value! There’s a lot of story in here. This is not just burned through in 20 minutes. It’s kind of a movie in book form. And totally worth re-reading to pick up on all of the details hidden throughout the book.
Cannot recommend it enough for all ages.
May 6, 2018
Fans of the first book in this series will gobble up this long-awaited sequel about a boy who ends up absorbing his superhero idol's powers. But after the incidents with the bad guy last time, he finds himself occasionally losing his power and is constantly afraid of getting beaten. Now there are more villains to battle- and school work to tackle. Very fun for comic book fans.
June 21, 2018
Review by G.W. : "A kid turns into a superhero."
January 25, 2019
Have you ever been at risk of flunking 5th grade, simply because you were spending too much time being a superhero? Well, Andrew Ryan knows just what that’s like. He’s saving the world, but he’s still been grounded by his mom for failing in school…
In this sequel to Smash: Trial by Fire, Seattle author Chris Bolton creates a whollop of a comic book sci-fi story about a young boy, Andrew Ryan, who has superpowers and struggles to learn how to use them. This is the second comic book in the Smash series.
Like a lot of action-packed adventure these days, the book is set in a city environment, and the story follows Andrew’s life at school, with friends, and with learning his superpowers. His power-training mentor, John Harris (aka “Wraith”) tries to help Andrew understand and defend himself when his powers blip on and off, but there’s only so much one person can do…And, despite having a great relationship with his mom and a challenging one with his condescending, cheater of a big brother, Andrew must face a lot of his learning alone. He does meet a nice girl named Jay, a student who volunteered to help him with his studies, but despite being really smart, she doesn’t discover a thing about his superpowers until he has to use them when a giant muscled monster wreaks havoc at a big comic book convention.
As the second book in the series, there is not much explanation of what happened in book one. While it has an easy-to-follow flow and is full of adventure, I give it four stars because there’s a lot of assumed knowledge from the first book that just isn’t provided in Smash: Fearless. The reader never knows how Andrew got his powers and why he keeps them secret from those closest to him. There is no history as to who or why he has a main adversary, nor to the type of powers his enemies have. So, while it hits the ground running in terms of action, it leaves a lot behind in terms of character motives.
As a reader, though, I enjoyed a fun comic book story of a boy superhero who grows up being thrown into combat, into foot-deep concrete by a knight-headed giant gorilla known as “Brute” – and so many other daring events. This is the type of futuristic story that takes you half way around the world in less than two minutes and transfers your mind into someone else’s body.
The story has themes of defiance and self-reliance. It’s energetic and adventurous. It definitely makes you wish you were inside the comic as one of the characters. It’s also just one big lengthy story, without chapters, which makes it different than other books even of its type. It’s a relatively easy comic book to read, though with the dramatic artwork and plenty of fighting and advanced word-play, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger audiences. Overall, it’s a classic battle of Good versus Evil, so I believe it’s a story most 8 – 13-year old’s would like to read – especially those on the school-bus, heading off to their 5th grade class.
Reviewed by William G., 8, Mensa of Western Washington
In this sequel to Smash: Trial by Fire, Seattle author Chris Bolton creates a whollop of a comic book sci-fi story about a young boy, Andrew Ryan, who has superpowers and struggles to learn how to use them. This is the second comic book in the Smash series.
Like a lot of action-packed adventure these days, the book is set in a city environment, and the story follows Andrew’s life at school, with friends, and with learning his superpowers. His power-training mentor, John Harris (aka “Wraith”) tries to help Andrew understand and defend himself when his powers blip on and off, but there’s only so much one person can do…And, despite having a great relationship with his mom and a challenging one with his condescending, cheater of a big brother, Andrew must face a lot of his learning alone. He does meet a nice girl named Jay, a student who volunteered to help him with his studies, but despite being really smart, she doesn’t discover a thing about his superpowers until he has to use them when a giant muscled monster wreaks havoc at a big comic book convention.
As the second book in the series, there is not much explanation of what happened in book one. While it has an easy-to-follow flow and is full of adventure, I give it four stars because there’s a lot of assumed knowledge from the first book that just isn’t provided in Smash: Fearless. The reader never knows how Andrew got his powers and why he keeps them secret from those closest to him. There is no history as to who or why he has a main adversary, nor to the type of powers his enemies have. So, while it hits the ground running in terms of action, it leaves a lot behind in terms of character motives.
As a reader, though, I enjoyed a fun comic book story of a boy superhero who grows up being thrown into combat, into foot-deep concrete by a knight-headed giant gorilla known as “Brute” – and so many other daring events. This is the type of futuristic story that takes you half way around the world in less than two minutes and transfers your mind into someone else’s body.
The story has themes of defiance and self-reliance. It’s energetic and adventurous. It definitely makes you wish you were inside the comic as one of the characters. It’s also just one big lengthy story, without chapters, which makes it different than other books even of its type. It’s a relatively easy comic book to read, though with the dramatic artwork and plenty of fighting and advanced word-play, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger audiences. Overall, it’s a classic battle of Good versus Evil, so I believe it’s a story most 8 – 13-year old’s would like to read – especially those on the school-bus, heading off to their 5th grade class.
Reviewed by William G., 8, Mensa of Western Washington
February 18, 2019
Standard superhero fare for middle-schoolers.
Andrew Ryan is having a tough time of it. Fifth grade sucks, superhero training is hard, and villains are scary. Lots of kids will be able to relate, especially if they enjoy good fight scenes and smash-em-ups. Andrew is secretly the hero Smash, and while it's not exactly clear how he got that name, he certainly does Smash things. A lot. Both accidentally, AND on purpose.
As Andrew tries desperately to get a grip on all the moving parts of his life, the Big Bads are up to no good. Yes, bads plural: Magus, the main antagonist, is intent on draining Smash's powers. To do that, however, he's got to rely on a handful of other villains to provide equipment. These include the secretive scientist Dr. Cobb, who's really good at making hero gear and tech, and the laughably inept Bullet, who works for whomever will pay best, and really just wants a cool suit to bounce around in. Loyalties shift, maguffins are pursued, and Andrew freaks out every time he thinks of confronting Magus again. It's a recipe for mayhem, and the plot takes a backseat to all the cool chase and fight scenes it takes to get the players where they need to be next.
It would have been nice to have read Smash 1 first, but like all good superhero comics should, this one fills you in on things you may have missed as they pop up. So you CAN start here if you wish, and it will be fine. Andrew is a nice-enough kid, and his problems will seem very real to boys of a similar age struggling with similar issues (minus, of course, the super powers). The artwork is pleasant enough, and taken all together, it's a solid pick that will most likely rope in reluctant readers as well. Sometimes a comic just needs to be action-packed and fun, so if your patrons are really into costumed heroes, this would be a good pick. Definitely buy for school libraries; otherwise purchase as demand warrants.
Andrew Ryan is having a tough time of it. Fifth grade sucks, superhero training is hard, and villains are scary. Lots of kids will be able to relate, especially if they enjoy good fight scenes and smash-em-ups. Andrew is secretly the hero Smash, and while it's not exactly clear how he got that name, he certainly does Smash things. A lot. Both accidentally, AND on purpose.
As Andrew tries desperately to get a grip on all the moving parts of his life, the Big Bads are up to no good. Yes, bads plural: Magus, the main antagonist, is intent on draining Smash's powers. To do that, however, he's got to rely on a handful of other villains to provide equipment. These include the secretive scientist Dr. Cobb, who's really good at making hero gear and tech, and the laughably inept Bullet, who works for whomever will pay best, and really just wants a cool suit to bounce around in. Loyalties shift, maguffins are pursued, and Andrew freaks out every time he thinks of confronting Magus again. It's a recipe for mayhem, and the plot takes a backseat to all the cool chase and fight scenes it takes to get the players where they need to be next.
It would have been nice to have read Smash 1 first, but like all good superhero comics should, this one fills you in on things you may have missed as they pop up. So you CAN start here if you wish, and it will be fine. Andrew is a nice-enough kid, and his problems will seem very real to boys of a similar age struggling with similar issues (minus, of course, the super powers). The artwork is pleasant enough, and taken all together, it's a solid pick that will most likely rope in reluctant readers as well. Sometimes a comic just needs to be action-packed and fun, so if your patrons are really into costumed heroes, this would be a good pick. Definitely buy for school libraries; otherwise purchase as demand warrants.
May 12, 2018
In a sequel to the first Smash graphic novel, our young superhero returns after a near-deadly brush with his arch nemesis the Magus. Smash (a.k.a. Andrew) still has plenty to deal with between balancing homework with his secret identity, but now readers get to see him address serious issues about bravery and fear alongside PTSD from his last encounter with evil. Andrew's character receives a lot of development in this second installment while still being very relatable for young readers and even a good role model as he makes tough choices and tries his best, both in school and in costume.
Kyle Bolton's artwork utilizes each panel fully as small side plots develop in the background that observant readers can enjoy. Chris Bolton's accompanying text meshes well during action scenes and conversations equally, but the use of onomatopoeia is where the words really shine; many fights are conveyed with "Ka-Pow!" or "Foom!" to create a full comic book experience. Overall, both Boltons work well together to create a kid-friendly superhero that pokes enough fun at classic comics for adults to get a real laugh as well.
Kyle Bolton's artwork utilizes each panel fully as small side plots develop in the background that observant readers can enjoy. Chris Bolton's accompanying text meshes well during action scenes and conversations equally, but the use of onomatopoeia is where the words really shine; many fights are conveyed with "Ka-Pow!" or "Foom!" to create a full comic book experience. Overall, both Boltons work well together to create a kid-friendly superhero that pokes enough fun at classic comics for adults to get a real laugh as well.
June 29, 2018
Andrew Ryan aka Smash is a 5th grade superhero. He’s either struggling with math homework or fighting humongous bad guys like Magus or The Brute. In Book Two, we find him working on his superpowers with his mentor, John Harris aka Wraith, but he’s constantly called away to fight alongside the police against supervillains. Best part of the story is when Smash, his aloof older brother, and friend Jae go to a ComicCon. The powerful Skeleton Key, wanted by all the various bad guys, is supposed to change hands while the heroes and villains are all hiding in plain sight -- very effective setup. Although action-packed with very appealing art, Fearless’s fight scenes can be baffling with Magus, his minions, the Bullet (creator of the Skeleton Key’s bumbling lackey), The Brute, police officers, Smash, and various others in the melee. Some of the frames are difficult to interpret when there is a tangle of giant limbs and capes and zoomy flames and smoke. Fans of other action comics will like this one, and it may be an ideal series to read on repeat to sort out the confusing parts.
May 23, 2022
I received this book for free as a giveaway but luckily enough I happened to read the first book in this series.
Vol.2 picks up where the first one leaves off. Andrew Ryan aka Smash has been traumatized from his encounter with Magus. On top of that his powers seem to be switching on and off at akward moments and at times when he needs his powers the most.
Like the first book it took me a bit of time to get used to the scratchiness of the art and at first glance it kind of seems amateurish. Look are definitely deceiving since Kyle Bolton has a background in animation. His art is very kinetic with a strong sense of motion. He uses this to great effect especially in the action sequences.
This graphic novel is geared towards the kids but I found it to be loads of fun.
Vol.2 picks up where the first one leaves off. Andrew Ryan aka Smash has been traumatized from his encounter with Magus. On top of that his powers seem to be switching on and off at akward moments and at times when he needs his powers the most.
Like the first book it took me a bit of time to get used to the scratchiness of the art and at first glance it kind of seems amateurish. Look are definitely deceiving since Kyle Bolton has a background in animation. His art is very kinetic with a strong sense of motion. He uses this to great effect especially in the action sequences.
This graphic novel is geared towards the kids but I found it to be loads of fun.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews