Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades

Nico Bravo #1

by Mike Cavallaro

A 2019 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids
A 2020 Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection

Take another look at your favorite myths and legends in this hillarious new graphic novel by Mike Cavallaro!

Got a problem? At Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop, you can find the magical merchandise to set things right. The seasoned staff―a kid named Nico Bravo, a sphinx named Lula, and a unicorn named Buck―pride themselves on providing “legendary service and expertise in all areas of the arcane.”

But Nico’s world is about to be turned upside down, and it’s all thanks his latest customer: Eowulf, the pint-size descendant of the monster slayer Beowulf. Determined to carry on the family business, this would-be warrior plans to slay Cerberus, the terrifying, three-headed hound of Hades. There’s just one problem―Cerberus is the only thing preventing the hordes of the Underworld from entering the land of the living. Can Nico stop Eowulf from unleashing a zombie apocalypse?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Mythology, Middle Grade, Comics, Adventure, Humor

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2019

About the author

Mike Cavallaro is from New Jersey and has worked in comics and animation since the early 1990s. He's made work for most of the major comic book publishers, and has been a designer, background painter, and storyboard artist on numerous animated series for Cartoon Network, Warner Brothers, and MTV Animation. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts in NYC and is a member of the National Cartoonists Society.

Reviews

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, colorful, and such fun! Enjoyed every minute of this, from its temperamental unicorn to its comically misguided heroes. Really looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nico works at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop, a sort of general store for all sorts of mythological beings. In a twist that proves that the customer might not always be right, Eowulf arrives with a shopping list, and a plan to kill Cerberus. But Nico knows that without that hell-hound at the gate, the denizens of Hades will surge forth like the . . . um . . . walking dead. Can he stop the determined little monster-slayer in time?

I love, love, loved this book! It's the perfect marriage of story and art, action and humor, and I'm gaga over Nico's sidekick, Buck, the unicorn with the damaged horn.



Hands down the best graphic novel I've read this year!

[Marie the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was messy and chaotic and too much..

[Barbara McEwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually review kids books or I would be online all day but my son (age 7) and I really enjoyed this one. It has bright vivid colors, fun characters, it's funny. As I adult I like all the mythology bits thrown in. We had a blast reading it together and are looking forward to the next Nico Bravo adventure.

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nico Bravo is a fun story about a young staff member of a supply shop trying to stop a monster hunter, a descendent of Beowulf, from killing Cerberus. While I’m torn between liking and not liking the artwork, I’m totally a fan of the story. And honestly, this is just me being super picky about artwork when I have no right to be.

Nico is a great character, I loved the inclusion of a Unicorn war veteran who fought in a war no one else believes in, and all the mythical references were great fun. I liked Eowulf and thought it was cool our monster hunter was a girl ready for adventure.

I love how the mythical people and creatures are portrayed. There are a lot of myths brought up. While the main focus here is Greek because of Cerberus & Hades, there is mention of many others and not all Western. I hope if this truly is a series that we'll see inclusion of even more non-Western mythical people and creatures.

This book is goofy fun even if I wasn’t always on board with the dimensional traveling and such. I do hope this is a series.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an ARC from First Second via NetGalley. Nico works at the corner store and celestial shop for Earth's gods and goddesses along with a brash unicorn with PTSD from the Unciron Wars and a patient flying Sphinx. One day an aspiring and reckless young monster slayer named Eouwolf comes into the store to suit up to takedown Cerberus. Nico feeling the adventurer is to blinded by heroism sets off to stop them from attacking Cerberus.

Will grade school kids like this graphic novel, yes. Did I like this story, meh. The movement between dimensions was jumbled, the art was good but goofy, and the language between the characters was often rude rather than supportive. The story did give some information about the world’s deities like Thor and Hades. The adventure kept me reading and engaged, but overall I don’t prefer the style of banter offered up between characters in this story. Recommended for reluctant readers.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a universe where all the worlds of mythology are connected, Nico Bravo and his friends Lula and Buck work in Vulcan's Celestial supply shop. Gods, demigods, and heroes from near and far come to purchase the otherworldly things that they need for their daily lives. When Vulcan forges a deadly hero's sword that can do just about everything, Nico gets very excited about which hero it will belong to. A descendant of Beowulf, desperate to make a name for herself, buys the sword to kill Cerberus, guard of the underworld. Nico follows her on her quest hoping to stop her from unleashing all of Hell, quite literally.

Cavallero has created such a fun reality that all mythology fans will be sure to appreciate. The characters are fun and easy to like. All along the way are god collecting cards introducing the traditional characters of ancient mythology all over the world. And the touch of humor is just perfect. I know that students will love this series as much as I do!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun! Nico Bravo works in Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop with a unicorn named Buck (who is always reminiscing about "the unicorn wars") and a sphinx named Lula. A customer named Eowulf (descendant of Beowulf) visits the shop looking for magical gear, and Nico gets pulled into Eowulf's mission. What follows is a wonderful mash-up of monsters, gods, goddesses, and ghosts, as the three coworkers have to find a way to prevent Eowulf from slaying Cerberus and releasing the shades from Hades. I love the way author Mike Cavallaro mixes up various mythologies from all the different realms - "eight interchanging corners of the world" - Asgard, Olympus, Annwin, Nibiru, Aztlán, Kunlun, Duat, and Xibalba - in a way that makes perfect sense. For fans of mythology; a perfect readalike for kids who like the Goddess Girls series by Joan Holub, Rick Riordan's stories, or the Myth-O-Mania books by Kate McMullan. Terrific, detailed artwork too!

[Shaie F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, imaginative, and intriguing! I can’t wait for the next book!

[Jessica Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book overall, I just thought that the story was a little hard to follow.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nico Bravo is just a guy working at Vulcan’s shop. While Vulcan works on creations in the back, Nico, with coworkers Buck the paranoid unicorn, and Lula the more upbeat and down to earth sphinx man the shop. Their days are normally filled with manning the register and helping gods, heroes, and others find things like bottomless backpacks, invisibility cloaks, magic swords, and epic reading material. But when Eowulf, the many greats descendant of Beowulf shows up and informs them she’s going to carry on the monster slaying tradition by taking out Cerberus. When she won’t listen to reason about how Cerberus is rather important at preventing shades from flooding the world and starting a zombie apocalypse, Nico abandons his post to try and stop her. At first Buck and Lula just man the shop, but then they both find themselves in another dimension with their own special mission.

This was so much more fun than I even hoped it could be. I love the concept of Vulcan’s shop, a place where mythological figures and creatures from all sorts of mythologies go to do their shopping. Nico, Buck, Lula, and Eowulf are all such entertaining characters to follow around. The adventure is the right kind of zany, with touches of humor and little drips of actual mythological information here and there. This adventure is wrapped up nicely, but there’s an epilogue that will make sure readers are desperate for book 2 to come out fast. I’m going to have to order several copies of this to satisfy the ravenous fantasy/mythology graphic novel fans at our school. Highly recommended to fantasy adventure fans, mythology fans, and slightly zany humorous graphic novel fans.

Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. Some battles happen, but everyone ends up ok.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Maggie Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I personally would give this graphic novel a "meh," but I think tweens will like it. A very silly narrative, a comedy fantasy/mythological world, and a slew of fun characters pushing the plot forward. Nico Bravo is a human who feels quite at home in At Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop where they sell anything you can imagine to Gods and adventurers a like. Nico works with Lula a sphinx and Buck a Unicorn still haunted by the unicorn wars. When a very undeserving adventurer buys the coolest sword Vulcan has created, and takes it to go kill the guard dog of Hades; Nico kicks into action to try and prevent all the dead from rising back to Earth. A whimsical story that would be a good stepping stone book for readers hoping to get into Percy Jackson, though not a story with any particular depth.

[Jaide · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of fun, with loads of mythological beings, at least one Dungeons & Dragon reference (“So long, Non-Player Characters!”) and a surprising dose of heart. Grand plot, can’t wait for the next installment!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle Grade Graphic Novel, based on mythology. Nico works at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop with Buck and Lula. Vulcan creates the merchandise and the other three run the store. When Vulcan creates a display of magical swords, there is one that is more powerful than the others. But it's not a pre-order, it's waiting for a hero to come claim it. Nico is not convinced that Eowulf (descendant of Beowulf) is the hero with that destiny. But she wants the sword to slay monsters, specifically the 3-headed dog that guards the entrance to the Underworld. Nico sees the peril in leaving said entrance unguarded, so follows behind her to try to mitigate any damage she might do.

An interesting take on mythology-- Vulcan's Shop served creatures and gods from many different cultures. I loved the trading cards featured throughout the story to explain who some of the minor characters were as they popped up. A good story, but it was a bit hard to follow. There was a lot going on visually in the background and multiple dimensions, which sometimes made it hard to focus on the plot. I enjoyed the story though and would try another in the series.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked how this graphic novel combined mythology and classic literature with RPG and a possible future world. The characters are interesting, and I will look forward to their further development. Vulcan seems to be such a wise and calm character, busily coming up with all sorts of weapons and materials while his helpers--Nico Bravo; Lula, a sphinx; Buck, a unicorn given to reminiscing about his younger days in the military--hold down the fort and deal with customers. When a young customer, a descendant of Beowulf, arrives and has a big order to fill, Nico follows her and tries to prevent her from killing the monster she's so intent on ending. After all, as he explains, there is a reason for some monsters being around. The colors are rich, the world building filled with all sorts of potential, and the plot fun to follow. I will be interested in the next installment of this series as will many fifth and sixth graders.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Nico Bravo book and I loved it! It really is a long story and will be perfect for children who don't mind wordy graphic novels. The illustrations are cute, something you would probably see on Cartoon Network, which is very enticing to elementary and middle school students.

Nico works in a shop that sells magical items. He has a unicorn friend, Buck, who dresses like a 80s character and is full of comedic lines. His other friend, Lula, is a cute little sphinx, who is often caught keeping Buck in line.

When Nico finds out that Eowulf, a decedent of Beowulf, wants to kill kill Cerberus, Nico jumps into action to try to save Cerberus, the three headed dog that guards Hades. He knows that if Cerberus is killed, the undead will be released from the Underworld! Together, the three friends, meet some new ones, and go on to save the world!
A must have series for any elementary and middle school library!

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Nico Bravo, sphinx Lula, and unicorn Buck have the answers to your magical problems at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop. They are used to serving gods, heroes, and magical creatures every day--but Nico's world changes when a wannabe hero comes striding in the door. Eowulf, descendant of Beowulf, is determined to slay her own monsters. She buys the most powerful sword they have and leaves on a mission to slay Cerebrus, the three-headed hound of Hades. But Cerebrus is the only thing stopping hordes of evil dead creatures from leaving the Underworld. Eowulf can't be persuaded to stop, so Nico sets off after her, determined to stop the impending apocalypse.

This was fun! Lots of humor and mystery, tossed in with many mythology references. A fun series for fans of Percy Jackson (or any Rick Riordan titles--all of your mythical worlds are a bit jumbled here). Looking forward to the sequel.

[Audrey Light And Smell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avec Nico Bravo et le chien d’Hadès, attendez-vous à une lecture divertissante, colorée et pleine de peps qui vous fera passer du quotidien d’une boutique de légende et de son personnel atypique et haut en couleur au monde des enfers. Un petit tour de force que l’on doit à une descendante d’un célèbre tueur de monstres qui, en voulant se montrer héroïque à sa très sanguinaire manière, se révélera probablement être le plus grand danger que le monde ait connu ! Rythmée, amusante et parfois franchement décalée, voici une aventure que vous n’êtes pas prêts d’oublier et dont vous allez vous délecter !

Chronique complète sur https://lightandsmell.wordpress.com/2...

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun story about a boy who works at a magic shop where all the gods and adventurers get their tools and magic supplies. Nico works with a unicorn with a wonky horn and a sweet sphinx that can kind of fly, and their boss is Vulcan, god of making awesome things. When an adventurer comes in for supplies to kill Cerberus, the three-headed dog protecting the gates of Hades, Nico knows he has to stop her because Cerberus is the only thing standing between the living world and all the shades of Hades.

What follows is adventures through different realms, a never-ending unicorn war nobody believes is read, and various godly shenanigans. This is a delightful start of a series and a way to introduce kids to various types of mythological pantheons.

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a descendant of Beowulf comes into Vulcan's shop, Nico has misgivings about selling the fanciest new sword on the shelf. And it turns out to be with good reason! The monster slayer is committed to slaying none other than the guardian of Hades itself: Cerberus. Nico sets out to stop a global zombie apocalypse but discovers some interesting truths along the way.

This book was full of confusing elements that haven't yet been explained, but it was a lot of fun and had some thoughtful moments along with its action-adventure themes. I'm not a huge fan of the Cartoon Network art style, but it works well enough for this kind of book.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel mashes together several different world mythologies, including Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Sumerian, Norse, and more. It welds adventure with humor (after all, Cerberus has a bulldog head, a pink poodle head, and a Chihuahua head!). While Nico (a human boy) is trying to prevent an overeager Eowulf (descendant of Beowulf) from slaughtering Cerberus, his friend Buck, the unicorn with a crooked horn finds himself wandering around in an alternate dimension. The cartoon illustrations are full of color, sometimes garish color. A treat for readers who like this kind of parody.

[Darren Vogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very charming and fun romp with lots of lovable characters. Take all of the best parts you might remember about Saturday morning cartoons, and roll them up into one - that's what you get with Nico Bravo. My only downside is the feeling that the resolution felt a little rushed and too neatly packaged up. That said, the world of Nico Bravo is one well worth diving into. I'm looking forward to reading the second installment!

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re ever wondering what kind of chaos would ensue if you put all the gods together from all cultures, look no further than this novel. Literally, three different gods of thunder fight over the last jar of lightning. Nico works for Vulcan, owner of a magical goods island where mortals, heroes and gods shop for that they want/need. Despite being surrounded by gods and heroes, Nico never expects to find himself on a quest - let alone a quest with a descendant of Beowulf. Read on to find out more about this quest to save Cerberus!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOL'd (or snorted) often.
Very clever blend of mythical tropes and adventure.
Nico works in Vulcan's shop, with all the possible weirdness that might entail. Eowulf shoes up, on a mission--monster slaying--and scores a super weapon that is too powerful for a newbie, in Nico's opinion. It is also snarky, with sidekick vibes, and named "Roger". Eowulf's target, Cerberus (bulldog, poodle, Chihuahua) keeps the shades in the Underworld--what will happen if he's killed (or AWOL?)

Two sequels.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! Several laugh out loud moments and great comedic timing throughout plus nice adventure pacing. Nico works at a shop selling objects of wonder to immortal beings with his co workers Lula the Sphinx and Buck the unicorn with the broken/crooked horn. All around good stuff! Please write more? Lots more!

[D.T. Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are all kinds of monsters […] Don’t be one. (pg 173)”

So much fun! The world’s really imaginative with lots of lore and mythology. Nico, a normal boy, a war-veteran unicorn, Buck, and an Egyptian pyramid-cat, Lula all work in a magic-RPG-adventure quests warehouse store. I thought Buck was majorly fun.

[Justine Ridder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I can see the kiddos in our community LOVING this graphic novel. I have a feeling that fans of Percy Jackson and mythology will love it along with the graphic novel enthusiasts for Dog Man. I have a feeling the entire series will be added soon to our library as the kids won't be able to stop at one.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nico Bravo, Lula the Sphinx, and Buck the Unicorn all work together at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop, but little do they know the world as they know it is about to be turned upside down. It all begins when a monster slayer enters the shop with a list of supplies needed, and Nick Bravo tries to stop her from causing mayhem on her quest to make a name for herself.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was super confused at the beginning and a little bit with the Unicorn wars. But it's a really cool premise. I like the sort of non-traditional gender roles. I'm not sure I like the cliffhanger at the end, it isn't necessary. This series will find it's audience and it didn't need to have the epilogue.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun adventure story! I really enjoyed the plot, characters, and artwork. The action was exciting and it made me laugh. I would hand this to a patron 10 and up. Can't wait for the next adventure!