Queen of Kenosha

by Howard Shapiro, Erica Chan (Illustrator)

A coming of age tale, this is the first installment of the Thin Thinline Trilogy, the fiercely independent Nina Overstreet has an axe to grind. A talented singer-songwriter slogging her way through the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk music scene of 1963, the Queen of Kenosha, Wisconsin, realizes that standing on the cusp of stardom gets her little respect and barely a cup of coffee in New York City. It finally comes, but in a way she could have never imagined. A chance encounter with the mysterious Nick Ladd at a late-night gig spins her life in a different direction--one that becomes a daily balance between life and death, right and wrong. Nick recruits Nina to join him and a team of ex-FBI operatives in a clandestine agency to stop the establishment of the Fourth Reich by undercover Nazis in post-War America. It's a cause Nina believes in ... until she's forced to compromise the very principles of fairness and patriotism she holds dear. As she and Nick grow closer as partners, she forces him to question his own intentions. But as the body count mounts in pursuit of the Nazi ringleader, the evasive Alex, the stakes grow even higher for Nick and Nina.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Music

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 9, 2018

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of Kenosha: A Solid Music and Soul-driven Secret Agent Comic

First of all, let's just admire that awesome cover.



There's nothing I love more in a comic than an introduction with no dialogue and absolutely gorgeously drawn art. I really got a noir feel for the start of this comic.





It's the late 1950s/early 1960s. We then get introduced to a down-on-her-luck singer/guitarist. I enjoy the show and not tell in this comic. She wants to get an audition with John Cameron - a maker of legends like Bob Dylan. We have a really cool main character sitting with talent but double the doubt.



How does this dialogue not suck you in?





"Thing were a lot easier when we were back home and the biggest decision was choosing to play at a school dance or Frank's diner."

"We certainly ruled in Kenosha. You in your snap-on tool hat and me with my pink cigarette pants."



Like many of us, our protagonist feels like she's still waiting for her life to start - that she is having a watershed moment. I can relate to this immensely - being about the exact age of the protagonist makes me empathise on a deep level.

And her name, is Nina Overstreet. Nina meets a guy in the establishment she just sang at - a guy named Jimmy.

And I absolutely love the "recommended listening" interim pages, so I jammed those songs while reading the comic since they are right up my alley. Definitely switch the flip on these if you decide to read the comic - they set the mood perfectly.



Listening to Joni Mitchell after finding out about her past really tugged at my heart strings
(while she played her guitar strings)

Not only is Nina a musician - she's much more. She has some skills that could be very useful in a sticky situation. I also LOVE her looks. She's got an awesomely bridged, uncharacteristic nose and features that make her feel like she's out of this world- it really adds to the feeling that she's different, she's special, but it's not an in-your-face-I'm-a-YA-heroine archetype.



And so, Jimmy jimmies his way into Nina's life and attempts to get her a job at a very elusive organisation that seems to have had dealings with Nazis and a lot of wars. But he's not really Jimmy - he's Nick, and he gets to her in the nick of time, too.



She's a starving artist barely making ends meet. She lives with her cousin, who foots most of the bills. If we pay her decently, which we can, that will be a huge incentive. In fact we can give her a small starting bonus to show her we can pay.

And so Nina is recruited to help stop a group of Nazis. Sure, Nazis are overdone and just a little corny, but hey - why not?



I also enjoy the side characters, like Nina's cousin and any old folks that Nina speaks to at the bar. I love the relationship between Nina and her cousin, Christina. The emotion just swells from this comic. Ladd and Granger are also pretty fascinating characters.



"Keep doing your best. I think you can make a difference through your voice and actions."

There are so many interesting philosophies and commentating going on in this comic - it's absolutely fantastic. There's so much about love, scraping by in life, deciding on whether to develop a pragmatic skill or your creativity - it's stunning stuff.

Tell me, who are you really?
Hmm. Good question. I'm just a person looking for a way to make a difference. To make my life mean something in this great wide world.
How does that sound?
It sounds like lyrics from a song.

There's a real Dream Works smirk style going on and I love it so much!!!



I'm not going to spoil more of the comic, but I'd just like to say that this is a fantastic read for lovers of classic rock, undercover cops and lots of mystery, character development and intricacies, intrigue and tension. It's definitely not the usual fanfare of comics - it's much more.

Although Granger is an ass and a bit of a misogynist, Nick explains that he saved his life and will always have his respect. I like the philosophy differences between Nick and Nina and the tension - not sexual but romantic and very serious. It's a pretty nail-biting romance and a real will-they-won't-they deal.





I also love the references to artists from the 60s:



The jams I listened to while reading: (from the comic and my own)
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
State of Love and Trust - Pearl Jam
Into my Arms - Nick Cave
Diamonds and Rust - Joan Baez
Blowin' in the Wind - Joan Baez
Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Work me, Lord - Janis Joplin
Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
Passenger - Iggy Pop
Eight Days a Week - the Beatles
Country Roads - John Denver
Bird of a Wire - Leonard Cohen (You've got good taste in music, my man!)
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
American Pie - Don McLean

P.S. to the author - thank you for killing one of my favourite characters. It turns out I'm still not immune to that shit.

Wrap up: al in all this is a fantastic comic, but I feel that for where it lacks in colour it makes up for in story telling, tension, action and character dynamics to the tenth degree - I'd recommend this to comic lovers and anyone who loves mystery and music.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel series that quickly lands in the "keep following " pile. Nina Overstreet is an aspiring singer/songwriter from Wisconsin that's hoping to get her big break. One night she meets a mysterious man at the bar and soon finds herself involved in hunting down a secretive Nazi cell organization. Intriguing plot and richly written characters kept me very invested. Of course, I hope to find out what happens next.


Goodreads review published 19/09/19
Publication Date 19/10/18( I am auto approved for Animal Media Group on NetGalley)

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina Overstreet is a struggling musician trying to make it in Greenwich Village in 1963. She, by chance, helps out a man who turns out to be a secret agent hunting down Nazis. She's then recruited into the organization as an agent. Shapiro brings up a lot of issues still plaguing us today, misogyny, racism, and letting the ends justify the means in terms of torture and a citizen's rights. Nina is an extremely strong character not willing to bend her principles who becomes the conscience of her organization. The book does end on a cliffhanger as it's the first book in a planned trilagy. I enjoyed Erica Chan's clean, focused art. It reminded me of Charlie Adlard or Steve Leiber.

Received a review copy from Animal Media Group and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina Overstreet had been making a pretty good name for herself as a singer-songwriter in her hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. But after moving to New York to try to build her career, she is struggling in the Greenwich Village folk music scene. Then one night, after a late gig, she meets Nick Ladd and she is recruited into a secretive organization fighting undercover Nazis who are trying to establish the Fourth Reich in the United States. At first, Nina is excited but eventually she must confront the fact that she is expected to compromise her ideals.

Queen of Kenosha is the first installment in the three-part graphic novel series The Thin Thinline Trilogy by Howard Shapiro. I requested the arc based on the cover and the publishers blurb. It sounded interesting. However, after reading it, I have mixed feelings. I liked the art quite a bit but the story itself…I’m undecided. I think it stretched my willing suspension of disbelief just a little too much. I found Nina a tad too self-righteous – I mean, she is recruited to a shadow company and she is shocked, shocked that it is doing things outside the law to accomplish its ends including the use of extreme violence. One would have thought she would have a) received better vetting and b) better training since she was expected to walk into some pretty dangerous situations. I get it – it’s kind of an ‘if we behave the same as the bad guys, then we are no better than them’ ideology but I tend to fall squarely in the ‘if you see a Nazi, punch a Nazi’ camp. I also wondered where they could go with this in future installments – theoretically, Nina’s moral dilemma might be timely but it seems like it would make for a whole lot less action or excitement in fiction.

Still, as I said, I liked the art and the music lists before each chapter were interesting although somewhat out of time given the inclusion of bands like The Pretenders and Dire Straits – I would have thought that since Nina is supposed to be an early ‘60s folk singer, there were plenty of protest songs of the era that would have served the same purpose of introducing each section – but, okay, admittedly that’s kinda nitpicking. In the end, I did enjoy Queen of Kenosha but I’m not sure I would want to continue with the series.

2.5

Thanks to Edelweiss+ and Animal Media Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a bit undecided whether I liked this one or not. It wasn't bad, but it wasnt greatly thrilling either. Maybe I've watched too many Mission Impossible episodes with a similar plot... I am curious about how the rest of the story will unfold, since this is only part one of three, and that's always a good sign.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen of Kenosha is a riveting unique read from graphic novelist Howard Shapiro. I’m a newbie to the format and found myself drawn to the edgy design and compelling story of the young female protagonist in 1960s Greenwich Village, recruited to help an underground group fight Nazism in America. Got a kick, too, out of the suggested musical lists for each chapter. Highly creative, highly recommended!

Thanks to the author, Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the review copy, in exchange for my true opinions.

#QueenOfKenosha #NetGalley

[Arvenig · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ THE REVIEW ON MY BLOG
First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:   3.75 out of 5


So I just signed up on Netgalley and while I was looking for some books to request I found this book and without even reading the description I requested it because of theawesome cover!

This book is set in the 60s (which I didn't know until I finished it and read the back cover :D) and it deals witha young singer that discovers an organization that has to take down the Nazis that escaped to America after WWII.

I love the plot even if don't like the ending, at all (I nearly cried) and the storyline was so entertainingthat I finished it in less than a day without putting it down and got me out of my reading slumpBut I have to say it wasn't really intriguing for me, probably because it's an historical graphic novel.



To be honest I requested this book because of the amazing cover and its art style... but when i lookedinsidethe bookI was disappointed because  there is a completely different style. The style inside the pages is similar to the "american comic style" which I'm not a fan of and the colors aren't as vibrant as the cover. Overall the art is good but pretty minimalistic, as if the authors wanted the readers to concentrate on the plot and not on the art.

The characters where very defined and different from each other. The main character, Nina, is a songwriter which is helped in the music industry by her manager and cousin Christina and Jimmy a mysterious guy she meets at a bar. There is also a great character development that surprised me!

The writing is simple, which I like when I'm reading comics, even if I didn't like the constant debates between Nina and the organization.

Last but not least the music theme: I really like this costant theme throughout the story and I love the "recommended listening" pages with lists of 3-4 songs to listen (which always had a song by the main character). At the end of the book there are also the lyrics of Nina's songs that I really liked, but I'm sad that the songs don't actually exist.


FINAL THOUGHTS

Specific Rating
Specific Ratings
Plot: 4 out ot 5
Cover: 5 out of 5
Writing: 4 out of 5
Interest: 4 out of 5
Diversity: 2 out of 5
Characters: 4.5 out of 5
The Feels and emotions: 2 out of 5

Final thoughts
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and I give it 3.75 out of 5 stars (4 on goodreads). I really liked this book and I'll definetely read the sequels.
This book is a fast-paced novel with amazing themes such as spies and music. The captivating cover and the great recommended songs definitely make this graphic-novel stand-out.


So what do you think about the book? Have you read it?
Thank you for reading,


READ THE REVIEW ON MY BLOG

[Václav · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you like slow paced "secret agent" detective story with a lot of talking and a few actions. You're in the right place. But if you're demanding reader, be wary. Because I sadly find it rather a bit dull. It's heavy leant on characters and dialogues, which can be a good thing, especially if the art is rather on the mediocre side. Some may even say it is quite dull and I wouldn't dispute that. Art is a bit like (new) Archie style, which is not exactly my cup of coffee. And it's rather simplistic, with very flat background and the colouring didn't help it either. Yes, that's a problem, but it becomes a bigger issue when the writing is off. The story is interesting, wannabe folk star becomes an agent of undercover team hunting Nazis in the USA. But I didn't feel sympathy for any of all those characters (not mentioning thanks to art they all look almost all the same), I didn't feel any chemistry between that two major characters and I lacked energy in all dialogues. They were mostly just boring and without empathy to any character nor grudge against that secret Nazis it was very tough reading. And little insight to the "villains" here: they are introduced as evil and threat. By guys who are at the time shadier than them. They did nothing so far, but they're slaughtered and tortured by those agents. The enemies are written in the worst manner and they make no sense. Even villains from Scooby Doo would do a better job.

There are recommended listenings for each chapter, which is a very nice touch, and I always like the fine soundtrack to my comics. But here I did not feel proper resonation with comics and with me, which is a bit letdown. But I can't tell if it's me or it just the problem of the comics. But with dull art, flat characters, nonsensical villains and juiceless dialogues I'll just blame it on comics. I really looked forward to the story and I'm really disappointed...

Thank you NetGalley and AMG/Howard Shappiro for giving me a review digital copy of this book. #QueenOfKenosha #NetGalley
I hope the next oen will hit my taste better than promising but dissapointing Queen of Kenosha.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this from the publisher via Net Galley.


I am going to preface my review with: The only reason I picked up this book was because the main character was originally from my hometown, Kenosha, Wisconsin. That was my main curiosity and motivation for getting this book.

That being said. I feel the story moved quite quickly and kept me motivated to continue reading the story, especially considering that the subject matter (war, nazis, espionage) and format (graphic novel) are not my normal choices for reading material.

As I said before, the story moves quickly, and the author does a great job of notating time jumps. a solid base of trust and support that is needed was well represented.

One thing I didn't like, and I'm not sure if it was intentional or not, was the drawing of Nina. She looked like all the other male characters, but with long hair.

[Giovana Oliveira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina is in the musical scene, living only for commissions for playing in bars and is run by her cousin, who arranges these works, one night her way intersects with that of Nick Ladd (who did stupid things that night), and the posture of her in that moment gives her a job offer in a clandestine agency, but with good intentions.

The graphic novel has colors that resemble the representations of the 60s and a cleaner scene that reminds us of the Cold War, they are more interesting when they are in the bars, and this happens little. There is something about the features of Nina Overstreet that bothers me, it seems that what bothers me the most is the disproportionate chin to the face, and the face of the other female character that appears in the book is much more proportional.

Each chapter has indications of songs to listen to while accompanying the story, including every time has an indication of the repertoire of Nina Ovestreet and I found this very cool, the indications are not only the 60's and this took some of the charm of the idea . Speaking of music, I wanted much more of the music scene in this book than scenes of the boss not fully relying on the work of a woman in the middle of this clandestine organization.

Only in the plot twist in the end of the graphic novel that I discovered that it was a story that would go to more volumes, I just stay in the crowd for more musical moments and a good argument for the character to do that.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Hannah Woycik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queen of Kenosha by Howard Shapiro review
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

“A coming of age tale, this is the first installment of the Thin Thinline Trilogy, the fiercely independent Nina Overstreet has an axe to grind. A talented singer-songwriter slogging her way through the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk music scene of 1963, the Queen of Kenosha, Wisconsin, realizes that standing on the cusp of stardom gets her little respect and barely a cup of coffee in New York City…”

Queen of Kenosha is about Nina Overstreet and Nick Ladd, and Nazis. This graphic novel is set in 1963 in Post-War America. The cover is beautiful, and the artwork is stunning. I’ve enjoyed other works by Howard Shapiro, but this one is by far my favourite and I’m really looking forward to the next ones in the trilogy.
The story progressed at a good pace. Decent length for a graphic novel, and I’d even read a full novel about Nina and Nick. I loved their dynamic and their slow-burn relationship, from friendship to budding romance.
I know what time this is set in, but the sexism and racism were a bit hard to swallow; a bit infuriating to be honest. I loved how Nina stood up for herself though and how she didn’t take any shit from anyone.
“…ex-FBI operatives in a clandestine agency to stop the establishment of the Fourth Reich by undercover Nazis…” How cool does that sound? The coolest. And Howard Shapiro delivers with butt-kicking agents and witty dialogue.
THAT CLIFFHANGER THOUGHHHH. Oh mah god. I’d had suspicions but that blew me out of the water. It definitely left me psyched for the next volume.
Queen of Kenosha releases October 9th, and I’d recommend pre-ordering it because it’s sure to be a big hit.

[Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the free review copy.

I liked some parts of this a lot. Every few pages there's a "recommended listening" page with songs on it on a picture of vinyl and for most of the book I listened to them as I read it which was nice, and I just generally liked the way music was linked to the story. I sort of wish that was delved more into though... and also the story is set 60s and some of the music was from way after that so that was a bit weird. I'm pretty sure U2 is on there at one point.

The storyline was ok, not super intriguing- it's about spies and Nazis which aren't things I would usually be interested in reading about.

I didn't like the art style really, the cover is really cool and so are the pages with the vinyl and songs on but apart from that it just wasn't my kind of thing. It was clear enough though what was going on so that was good. Overall, it was fairly enjoyable but I don't think I'll be carrying on with the series.

[Howard Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely biased but I love the book. I hope whoever reads it enjoys it as much as myself and our team had putting it together!

[Kidlitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nifty, surprisingly action-packed graphic novel that is a timely read in our current national debate about patriotism and liberty.

The Queen of Kenosha is Nina Overstreet, Wisconsin native, reluctant New Yorker, struggling musician and neophyte government agent. Her adventures are a cross between Mission Impossible and the television series The Americans. Nina dreams of becoming a guitar playing folk singing star on the NYC music scene and faces poverty, grinding labor, and exploitation daily. But she also manages the equally sexist, physically challenging, emotionally draining, morally questionable and downright dangerous (but relatively well paid) work of a spy. Nina is up to the challenge and the two fascinating worlds she inhabits shine with complexity, challenges and unexpected beauty.

Nina is tasked along with her partner Nick Ladd of taking down a budding group of Neo-Nazis in NYC. She must handle the ruthless methods they must employ to fight the Fourth Reich and her scruples about the any means necessary approach of a shadowy government agency of ex-FBI operatives where individual liberties are thrown aside in pursuit of the Big Bad. Fortunately, Nina is both a martial arts expert, an army brat, an authority-questioning feminist, and a sensitive artist. But she takes a hit, bleeds and gets up again like a real person would, as opposed to a Marvel superhero.

Chan's illustrations are spare yet convey the action-packed nature of the story that well suits the fast pace of the narrative. The playlists provided at the start of each chapter serve as an excellent tool and reflects not just Nina's passion and journey, but the mood of the times. The stretches of debate over civil liberties slow the action but these are important questions to be debated. Being published in a graphic novel format makes the issues more accessible. The Queen of Kenosha would actually serve as an excellent educational tool for teaching students American history, government and civics. Chasing after Nazis ultimately win out over the folk scene in terms of story, but hopefully, there will be more of the latter in the trilogy's next book.

The ending is a punch to the gut for both Nina and then for the reader. Nina is going to have to keep crossing between worlds, clutching her Thin Line Fender all the way.

[Midnight Voss · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Queen of Kenosha promises intrigue and an edgy plotline with its description and cover, the story itself falls flat. Most of the comic involves the characters talking about the central ethical conflict, whether it is alright to adopt the tactics of the enemy to defeat the enemy. Or in this case, are civil and human rights violations AOK if you're fighting literal Nazis.

Some attention to that issue should be fine, but with the lack of development of the characters, including the lead (who is the only one with any backstory), the plot and the characters come off very thin. It's less of a thriller and more of a morality play with a very light hint at a potential romance.

That's not to say that the story couldn't be interesting. This is clearly the first in several volumes... I just wasn't particularly hooked. Like others, I think I would've hoped for a little more integration of the musical scene, rather than a playlist at the beginning of every section. (This could be interesting, but obviously, I can't play the playlist, and the songs from Nina haven't been recorded, so the attempt doesn't have the polytextual effect the writer is hoping for.) Not even the big twist really grabbed me. Of course, I was surprised, as most people are when something happens that wasn't even hinted at.

If you enjoy spy stories, you might give it a try. If you're looking for some complexity and depth of character... maybe look elsewhere.

I received a copy of this book for review purposes from Netgalley.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1963, this is the story of Nina Overstreet, an aspiring Greenwich Village folk singer (originally from Kenosha, WI) who gets recruited into a quasi-governmental spy agency that is rooting out remnants of neo-Nazi activity. The premise is that scattered ex-Nazis are still trying to gather forces and build a Fourth Reich in America, and this shadowy crew is going after them by any means necessary. It’s okay as a spy thriller that maybe stretches credibility a bit, but the attraction between Nina and fellow agent Nick Ladd keeps things interesting, and there are plot twists at the end. I liked the anachronistic feminism of Nina, who is adept at martial arts and resists being treated like a typical ‘60s female.

The style and coloring of Erica Chan’s drawings is likeable and noirish. I like the faded brown and army green backgrounds with red, orange, or gold characters, and the style is reminiscent of comics from the 1950s. Reading this as a galley on an iPad was difficult since the lettering and details were really small, even in portrait mode. It’s a bit wordy, especially for an action story. I had to enlarge almost every page. Probably it will look great in print, though. The cover is striking.

A fun detail is the playlist at the beginning of each chapter, which lists several actual songs plus some fictional Nina Overstreet numbers. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of this, because Nina isn’t real, but there are lyrics to Nina’s “songs” printed at the end of the book. I also wasn’t sure why some of the real songs were from well after 1963 all the way up to the 1980s. Nina is an intriguing character, and presumably additional volumes will explain the Queen of Kenosha bit, since that has very little to do with the storyline. Also maybe we will learn why this is called the Thin Thinline trilogy.
I appreciate the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Alicia Ceasar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. I went into this not knowing much about the plot other than the main character being involved in music. Nina is a musician that grew quite famous in her small town of Kenosha. Her band even had a song that played on the radio. But Nina learned that life is different in NYC. She struggles constantly to make ends meet, depending on her cousin/agent to keep her afloat. When Nina meets Nick, her entire world is turned upside down. Nick wants to recruit her to join the hunt for Nazis in a post WWII world.

I don't want to go deeper into the story because I don't want to ruin it. I will say that I liked Nina as a character and I thought this book being a graphic novel was the perfect formatting. I did receive my copy on my kindle so I didn't get the full experience of a physical graphic novel but nonetheless, it was enjoyable. I did find the plot to be fairly predictable and some of the dialogue to be cheesy. I also didn't really like any of the characters outside of Nina and Nick. The events that happened in the last few pages have me excited about the next installment. I think this is supposed to be a trilogy so this is really just the start of a bigger story. I'm sure I will read the next one when it comes out.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something that is fast-paced, spy/action packed, with a great set of recommended songs at the beginning of each chapter.

[Paul Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small-town musician in Noo Yawk tries to return a wallet and get pistol-whipped for her troubles. It leaves her open to an offer she can’t refuse.
I’ve read this author’s previous works, which took place in the hockey world, and it’s the same format here. The artwork is especially similar, but the story is completely different and much more ambitious, in fact maybe too much. There’s been plenty of Nazi conspiracy stories over the decades, but I can’t remember seeing one where they’re basically dropped into what’s always been a “commie” plot.
Though it’s an overused talking point, the difference between a black-and-white follow-orders-at-all-costs viewpoint and a don’t-have-to-kill-everyone approach is done well here.
Each issue has recommended songs, with one on each playlist by the fictional protagonist, so of course you can’t hear it. Another is “Both Sides Now”; I sure am getting tired of that song, it’s everywhere. And you’d think that since this takes place in the early 60s, songs from that era would be a better choice. I haven’t noticed any connection between the songs and the action, but I was amused by the inclusion of a Pretenders song. But it’s the insertion of a good Dire Straits song that made everything okay.
When on the big mission, they dress all in black but don’t paint their faces, neck, and hands. Worse, her blonde hair is loose. Author fail on the spycraft.
More than anything, there’s a huge plot twist at the end. . . which I’d guessed about halfway. I was hoping I was wrong, thinking it too contrived, too much of a coincidence, but it happened anyway. Actually not that big a deal in this book, but in the sequel it’ll be huge, and it won’t sit right then.
At the end are the lyrics to the made-up songs by the protagonist. Since this is a collection of all the issues, I don’t know if the lyrics were included with the song, but in this volume I would have liked to read them when the title was first unveiled.
There’s a lot of good stuff here, but also much that could have been done better.

[Valéria. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I am thankful I got the chance from NetGalley to read this book.

Now, to the review. I kind of fell in love with this after "Is 27 your age or your IQ?" question. When I read comic books, I have most of the time mood for looong dialogues. In this mood, I don't like when the half of the book is consisted of nothing but artwork without text. And this book gave me exactly what I needed. It took me huge amount of time to come to the end, reading every word almost smiling. Story? Shortly, talented musician is asked by ex-FBI team to help them fight Nazis. You won't find in this book any super-awesome shooting scenes full of blood and violence, neither sweet sugar-making romance as you would maybe expect (as I did) from the beginning. Though, I am not saying it as reprehension! I actually loved it was wrote this way. It was very relaxing reading, full of dialogues, here-and-there funny, most of the time very serious but in my opinion, very well written. Artwork was simple but fit that story. Also, I find very interesting that „recommended listening“ + text to songs at the end.

[Lois Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Queen of Kenosha" is the first volume in the trilogy series, "The Thin Thinline." The setting is 1963 in the Tri-State (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) and Pennsylvania. Musician Nina Overstreet is trying to make ends meet when she accidentally becomes involved with a U.S. Government Agency whose purpose is to prevent the uprising of the American Nazi Party. A woman working with a government agency in 1963 is essential to the story. In addition, Nina's relationship with her new co-workers and her cousin/manager is what drives her throughout the narrative.

Part music industry story and part mystery/thriller, "Queen of Kenosha" delivers a realistic and gritty story of the present and the hidden social issues during Post World War II and the realities of fulfillment through desire. The characters are what you expect from this genre of fiction, but the pace and the events make it worth your while. The cliffhanger at the end makes you craving for the next volume immediately, but that's what makes a great story!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ren · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I liked the main character, there weren't many of the others I took much of a liking to. The storyline seemed to drag a bit in the first half or so, but did pick up once some action started taking place. Now that the basics are laid out, this may not be an issue in future installments - this is the first in a trilogy. Since the story is told almost entirely through dialogue, the conversations can be a bit odd and don't seem realistic. Overall, I think this story as a whole has potential, but I'm not certain I'll be picking up future installments to see how it progresses and ends. I did find it interesting that the author includes suggested music to listen to while reading - each section includes a few songs.

Thank you to the author, Howard Shapiro, Animal Media Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen of Kenosha is yet another well-illustrated and professionally-produced graphic novel from Howard Shapiro. I have previously read books by Shapiro, mostly focusing on the world of sports. This one, as is the case with the The Stereotypical Freaks, peeks into the music world.

What sets this story apart from what Shapiro has done so far is a sense of history and intrigue. It's nice to a fresh direction from this author, and the result is a book I would gladly share with fellow graphic novel/comic book enthusiasts.

[JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I liked the ambiance of the story, where a singer/songwriter with an unlikely past that uniquely suits her to the task ends up being recruited by some spooks to hunt Nazis in 1960’s America. The artwork is clean and lends itself pretty well to the tone of the story, and I especially liked the song suggestions at the start of every chapter. I think this one would work very well as a TV series.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was far from being a failure, but it was too evidently flawed throughout. The story has a wannabe full-time musician in the cafe culture of 60s New York who gets dragged into a shady Nazi-hunting organisation, just as it itself turns from creating "accidents" to doing more heinous crimes against the USA. The problem from then on is a very wordy and circuitous argument within the organisation about following due process, obeying the laws and how far is too far when hunting the Nazi big wigs? Yes, there is action, and the main arc of the book opens the trilogy very well, but it's that dialogue forcing morals into it that needed a serious trim. I'd certainly be back for the rest, but here my fingers are crossed that next time offers more drama, less debate.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nina is a musician who wants to have a career, not just playing guitar in her free time. When she moves to New York, she finds the music scene hard to break into, but an unexpected opportunity arises. She's recruited into an organization that is fighting against post-war Nazi organization in the U.S. Can she manage to be a crime fighter and a musician at the same time?

This graphic novel has some high points to it: the artwork is great and I loved that each chapter started with a short playlist to set the mood of what was coming next. However, when the story veered to far away from Nina as a musician, I became bored reading it. I didn't like all of the infighting with the organization, but since this is just part one of a three-part story, I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt that it gets more exciting as you read on.

*Book provided by NetGalley

[Andrew Kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a digital ARC via NetGalley.

While it was an enjoyable read, I kept hoping for something more unique in the story. The musician angle was interesting, but nothing much came of it. Some of the conversations felt very cliche and none of the plot developments made much of an impact on me. I'm sure there is an audience out there, though, who hasn't been jaded by overconsumption of spy thrillers.
That being said, I had no problem reading through the whole book. The plot moved quickly, with pauses for character development that were just long enough. The art was well done. I especially liked the design of Nina. I also had fun pulling up some of the song suggestions from the divider pages.
I didn't realize this would be the first of a trilogy. I would be interested in checking out the next chapter, but I hope to see the author stretch out of the basic Cold War spy formula a bit as the story continues.

[Weronika Zimna]

The best part? Music. Nice character development.
What didn't work out for me: the war/nazi fighting theme. Not interesting enough but that's just me.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this, but ended up pleasantly surprised - Nina is a really compelling main character. She is talented, determined, and deeply moral. The world could use more people like Nina Overstreet, especially right now, and I'm very much looking forward to reading more in this series.

Bonus: there are some great track lists included for suggested listening.

[Comics Alternative · Rating 3 out of 5]

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