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Klaw #1-3
Klaw Vol. 1
A population of secret were-animals hide among us, and young Angel Tomassini is about to learn just how widespread—and dangerous—it is!Beautifully illustrated by Joel Jurion, best known throughout Europe and the worldwide animation industry for his gorgeous and dynamic character design, written by Antoine Ozenam, this exciting young adult series explores a world of ancient conflict hiding just under the surface of modern life as we know it. With identifiable coming of age themes overshadowed by thrilling action sequences and a deep, enthralling mythology, this book will introduce readers to a world unlike anything else on shelves today. Collecting the first three chapters of this original ongoing series—Awakening, Tabula Rasa, and Unions—this book comprises "The First Cycle" in the epic, hidden universe of Klaw!
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
December 30, 2020
I wanted to like this book. It looks great. However, the characters don't behave like real people, the plot is rushed. If the pacing had been slowed down some, the characters would have been more realistic and the things that don't make sense because of something that you are supposed to intuit happened off page could have been fleshed out.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2016
Please join me in a few moments of silence to appreciate the AH MAY ZING work done by artists Joel Jurion and Yoan Guillé. While they’re not that well known in the English-speaking comic scene, they both have a large online fan base, with most of those fans (me included) following Jurion for his stellar NSFW art. That said, I’m also a sucker for Guillé’s work – this man has a knack for colors and it shows. His character designs are on point, but he is truly a master of scenery and backgrounds. Multi-layered and filled with countless details, his work is one of a kind and I can’t wait to see more of his in print. (Let this man draw Batman, someone, anyone, make it happen)
I’ll just plug their sites real quick - NSFW art, so don’t open this at work unless your boss appreciates tits and labia guards.
http://joeljurion.deviantart.com/
http://yoyaan.deviantart.com/
Working in 'the fish business' pays well.
Allrighty. Klaw is the story of Angel Tomassini, the densest motherfucker in town. Seriously. His house is filled with shady characters (“Come say hi to your uncles!”) that all look like the biggest Mafia clichés you have ever seen; pinstripe suits, fedoras, facial scars and nasty snarls. His Glasgow Smile-sporting bodyguard drives him to and from school in a bright red convertible, but obviously that’s just a safety precaution cuz his dad is in the fishing business and that comes with risks (?!?).
But then again, he’s got his hands full already, so I can’t really blame him. Bullies chase him, girls don’t see him, and except for his one equally lame friend, he’s alone. BUT NOT FOR LONG!
Bam, you’re a tiger now. Deal with it.
Okay. The story is divided in three parts;
1- Awakening
This is where Angel finds out that thanks to one of his daddy’s shady deals, he’s a Dizhi and able to transform into a tiger. A guardian comes forth and guides him in controlling his powers, which is difficult when you’re a hormonal teenager and no one fucking understands you ugh
2- Tabula Rasa
We get introduced to more kinds of Dizhi and Angel’s guardian gives us a little history lesson, explaining that while some Dizhi honor the old and honorable ways, some are power-hungry and will try to kill Angel to gain his powers. Angel is training and getting stronger, but overestimates himself and shit hits the fan.
3- Unions
The story skips a few years, and Angel has completed his training. Stronger and more skilled, he returns to his old town, ready to use his powers for good. He meets some old friends, some old foes and holy shit plot twist!
Yay:
- The art. I dare you to show me a page from this comic that isn’t amazing.
- The action scenes are on point.
- When there’s a funny, it’s funny.
- I’ve read a digital copy, but this will get released in a beautiful hardcover format that I will totally buy once I see it in store.
Nay:
- Story-wise, I’m not impressed. There simply isn’t much to it and it moves too fast. Angel goes from total loser to absolute bad-ass in only a few pages, and I would have liked to see more of his training and personal growth. It also bothered me that there isn’t much of a personality to the main characters, many of them making unrealistic choices and going against their own claims just to get the plot going forward.
- Not everything translates well from French and we end up with bullies calling their victim “dummy” and superbaddy saying “heh, don’t be such a limp fish!” to his juvenile partner when he tries to school him on basic human rights.
- I really don’t like Angel that much.
- The ending. Really?
So 3.5 stars. Buy if you’re a fan of the artists or like to read easy young adult comics. Skip if you’re expecting depth and realistic character development.
I’ll just plug their sites real quick - NSFW art, so don’t open this at work unless your boss appreciates tits and labia guards.
http://joeljurion.deviantart.com/
http://yoyaan.deviantart.com/
Working in 'the fish business' pays well.
Allrighty. Klaw is the story of Angel Tomassini, the densest motherfucker in town. Seriously. His house is filled with shady characters (“Come say hi to your uncles!”) that all look like the biggest Mafia clichés you have ever seen; pinstripe suits, fedoras, facial scars and nasty snarls. His Glasgow Smile-sporting bodyguard drives him to and from school in a bright red convertible, but obviously that’s just a safety precaution cuz his dad is in the fishing business and that comes with risks (?!?).
But then again, he’s got his hands full already, so I can’t really blame him. Bullies chase him, girls don’t see him, and except for his one equally lame friend, he’s alone. BUT NOT FOR LONG!
Bam, you’re a tiger now. Deal with it.
Okay. The story is divided in three parts;
1- Awakening
This is where Angel finds out that thanks to one of his daddy’s shady deals, he’s a Dizhi and able to transform into a tiger. A guardian comes forth and guides him in controlling his powers, which is difficult when you’re a hormonal teenager and no one fucking understands you ugh
2- Tabula Rasa
We get introduced to more kinds of Dizhi and Angel’s guardian gives us a little history lesson, explaining that while some Dizhi honor the old and honorable ways, some are power-hungry and will try to kill Angel to gain his powers. Angel is training and getting stronger, but overestimates himself and shit hits the fan.
3- Unions
The story skips a few years, and Angel has completed his training. Stronger and more skilled, he returns to his old town, ready to use his powers for good. He meets some old friends, some old foes and holy shit plot twist!
Yay:
- The art. I dare you to show me a page from this comic that isn’t amazing.
- The action scenes are on point.
- When there’s a funny, it’s funny.
- I’ve read a digital copy, but this will get released in a beautiful hardcover format that I will totally buy once I see it in store.
Nay:
- Story-wise, I’m not impressed. There simply isn’t much to it and it moves too fast. Angel goes from total loser to absolute bad-ass in only a few pages, and I would have liked to see more of his training and personal growth. It also bothered me that there isn’t much of a personality to the main characters, many of them making unrealistic choices and going against their own claims just to get the plot going forward.
- Not everything translates well from French and we end up with bullies calling their victim “dummy” and superbaddy saying “heh, don’t be such a limp fish!” to his juvenile partner when he tries to school him on basic human rights.
- I really don’t like Angel that much.
- The ending. Really?
So 3.5 stars. Buy if you’re a fan of the artists or like to read easy young adult comics. Skip if you’re expecting depth and realistic character development.
June 8, 2016
I just realized this novel's publication date was yesterday and since I've finally read it [yesterday because the pdf's deadline was up] and I can't decide whether I liked it or not.
The story is split into three parts, well it actually does contain 3 issues of the novel, so that's logical. The first one deals with the kid finding out he actually has some pretty cool shape-shifting power. The second moves on to him learning to use it and giving him a reason to do so. And the last one moves on few years ahead when Ange is already grown up and trained and has to deal with some tough things going on in his home city.
As much as I enjoyed the first two parts I felt the third one was too rushed. Pity, because it had a good start and I was hoping for so much more. It's like all the ideas came together and were stuck up with fast-drying glue like the last Batman movie... oh sorry, I didn't mean to say that... Who am I kidding, of course, I did :D.
Anyway, as much as I'd like to see a bit more of a back story of what happened in the last part, I still enjoyed reading it. There was plenty of action going on, the characters moved on with their lives.
I really like the graphic style. Detailed, yet with clear distinction of what you need to see. Lovely drawn and colorful. The action scenes are lively and clear, so you won't get lost in who's who.
There are some plot twists in this story that I did not see coming. It's always good to read something unpredictable, see the unexpected. That's what made the story feel fresh and what made me enjoy it. That's why I wanted to give it a higher rating, but I simply can't after looking at the whole picture.
Oh, and the idea with Chinese-zodiac animals being the dizhi was quite interesting. I admit, I can't see a pig being a fighter, but it was curious.
Would I recommend it? I'd say - give it a try. This story combines some mafia wars, some supernatural shape-shifting powers, and a bit of superhero vigilante battles. It's curious, even if a little rushed at some points.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my reviews: https://maginibooks.wordpress.com
The story is split into three parts, well it actually does contain 3 issues of the novel, so that's logical. The first one deals with the kid finding out he actually has some pretty cool shape-shifting power. The second moves on to him learning to use it and giving him a reason to do so. And the last one moves on few years ahead when Ange is already grown up and trained and has to deal with some tough things going on in his home city.
As much as I enjoyed the first two parts I felt the third one was too rushed. Pity, because it had a good start and I was hoping for so much more. It's like all the ideas came together and were stuck up with fast-drying glue like the last Batman movie... oh sorry, I didn't mean to say that... Who am I kidding, of course, I did :D.
Anyway, as much as I'd like to see a bit more of a back story of what happened in the last part, I still enjoyed reading it. There was plenty of action going on, the characters moved on with their lives.
I really like the graphic style. Detailed, yet with clear distinction of what you need to see. Lovely drawn and colorful. The action scenes are lively and clear, so you won't get lost in who's who.
There are some plot twists in this story that I did not see coming. It's always good to read something unpredictable, see the unexpected. That's what made the story feel fresh and what made me enjoy it. That's why I wanted to give it a higher rating, but I simply can't after looking at the whole picture.
Oh, and the idea with Chinese-zodiac animals being the dizhi was quite interesting. I admit, I can't see a pig being a fighter, but it was curious.
Would I recommend it? I'd say - give it a try. This story combines some mafia wars, some supernatural shape-shifting powers, and a bit of superhero vigilante battles. It's curious, even if a little rushed at some points.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Check out my reviews: https://maginibooks.wordpress.com
April 2, 2016
A great start to a new series. This volume introduces us to Angel Tomassini who is your everyday high schooler or so it seems. Angel wonders about the appearance of a tiger who rescues him from difficult situations. He also wonders about the way his teachers defer to him so often and he is puzzled about the number of uncles he has, all of them with different names.
And then suddenly Angel begins to discover the truth about himself, his family and his mystical heritage. Nothing is as it seems and not even his close friend can be trusted. As Angel gets to grips with his heritage and powers, the years pass by and suddenly he is pitted against his greatest enemy whilst at the same time confronting the loss of guardians who have helped him along the way .
This is a fast paced and colourful action graphic novel. The art is excellent and the story is interesting with a good pace. It is primarily aimed at a YA audience but still engaging enough for adults and my curiosity is piqued about the next adventures Angel will have and whether he will ever be united with his family.
All in all definitely a series to watch out for.
Copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
And then suddenly Angel begins to discover the truth about himself, his family and his mystical heritage. Nothing is as it seems and not even his close friend can be trusted. As Angel gets to grips with his heritage and powers, the years pass by and suddenly he is pitted against his greatest enemy whilst at the same time confronting the loss of guardians who have helped him along the way .
This is a fast paced and colourful action graphic novel. The art is excellent and the story is interesting with a good pace. It is primarily aimed at a YA audience but still engaging enough for adults and my curiosity is piqued about the next adventures Angel will have and whether he will ever be united with his family.
All in all definitely a series to watch out for.
Copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
December 31, 2019
This is terrible on pretty much every level. The story is cliche, the characters are lazy stereotypes, the dialogue is inane, the artwork is confused in its storytelling... I’m at a loss to find anything positive to say about this book.
Early on the main character is being chased by bullies in school, in a ridiculously over-the-top scene, and Angel leaps over a railing in a stairwell to escape. Except it takes far too long for that action to register due to the angle chosen by the artists. It was only after going back and looking at it a few times was I able to get what happened, and that was one of the less-muddled bits of art. This occurs constantly throughout. Plus the guys chasing this 10-year-old look like dockworkers. I know it’s a Fantasy, but criminy, you don’t need to be so over-stylized.
Early on the main character is being chased by bullies in school, in a ridiculously over-the-top scene, and Angel leaps over a railing in a stairwell to escape. Except it takes far too long for that action to register due to the angle chosen by the artists. It was only after going back and looking at it a few times was I able to get what happened, and that was one of the less-muddled bits of art. This occurs constantly throughout. Plus the guys chasing this 10-year-old look like dockworkers. I know it’s a Fantasy, but criminy, you don’t need to be so over-stylized.
Read
March 6, 2021Sort of a mixed bag.
Three stars for the story and six for the art.
Three stars for the story and six for the art.
July 20, 2019
Fantastic artwork and above average writing grace this French series. It's YA but the storytelling is quite sophisticated and complex.
July 16, 2016
Another lucky "Read Now" snatch from NetGalley
This story had a lot going on, but I never felt overwhelmed or confused. Mythology, Astrology, Mafia, Bullying, Friendship, First Loves, Super Villains. Angel Tomassini had a lot to grapple with and I think he did a damn good job. It was easy to route for him, right from the start. Another thing that happened right from the start was falling in love with the artwork. It was marvelous! Even when the story plateaued a bit here and there, the artwork carried it and kept me wanting to know more.
This story had a lot going on, but I never felt overwhelmed or confused. Mythology, Astrology, Mafia, Bullying, Friendship, First Loves, Super Villains. Angel Tomassini had a lot to grapple with and I think he did a damn good job. It was easy to route for him, right from the start. Another thing that happened right from the start was falling in love with the artwork. It was marvelous! Even when the story plateaued a bit here and there, the artwork carried it and kept me wanting to know more.
February 7, 2017
'Klaw: The First Cycle' by Antoine Ozanam with art by Joël Jurion and translation by Mike Kennedy is about people who are linked to symbols of the Chinese zodiac, which seems to be a popular story idea these days.
Angel Tomassini seems like a normal kid and when we meet him, he's being beat up by bullies. When he suddenly transforms into a tiger and gets away, things get weird. Angel is not an ordinary kid, though. He has a chauffeur/bodyguard pick him up from school and his father's fish business may not be what it seems on the surface. Especially because all of his uncles don't look much like him or his father. He's got a best friend and a crush on a girl.
When the boyfriend of his crush dies as the result of what seems to be injuries caused by a tiger, Angel thinks it might have been himself. This leads him into a strange secret world where were-beasts of the Chinese zodiac can manifest in pairs of humans, but not at the same time.
There are three parts included in this volume and the first two were pretty good, but the third one went a little over the top and kind of lost me. There are a lot of story elements, and some just don't work because they are very stereotypical or too contrived. The art by Joël Jurion is why you should read this. It's very good, and he's got this interesting style that exaggerates the perspective of his figures. I liked the art better than the story when it was all done.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Magnetic Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Angel Tomassini seems like a normal kid and when we meet him, he's being beat up by bullies. When he suddenly transforms into a tiger and gets away, things get weird. Angel is not an ordinary kid, though. He has a chauffeur/bodyguard pick him up from school and his father's fish business may not be what it seems on the surface. Especially because all of his uncles don't look much like him or his father. He's got a best friend and a crush on a girl.
When the boyfriend of his crush dies as the result of what seems to be injuries caused by a tiger, Angel thinks it might have been himself. This leads him into a strange secret world where were-beasts of the Chinese zodiac can manifest in pairs of humans, but not at the same time.
There are three parts included in this volume and the first two were pretty good, but the third one went a little over the top and kind of lost me. There are a lot of story elements, and some just don't work because they are very stereotypical or too contrived. The art by Joël Jurion is why you should read this. It's very good, and he's got this interesting style that exaggerates the perspective of his figures. I liked the art better than the story when it was all done.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Magnetic Press, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
September 2, 2017
Petite trouvaille réalisée grâce aux 48h de la BD qui permet de découvrir des BDs pour 1€ seulement.
Ce sont souvent des BDs méconnues et celle-ci en faisait partie. Et comme j'avais vu passer quelques avis intéressant je me suis dit ... "pourquoi pas !".
Et franchement je ne suis pas mécontente de mon achat car j'ai trouvé ce premier opus assez sympathique. Il s'agît d'une mise en abîme, un peu rapide certes, mais qui nous plonge dans l'univers sans tout nous expliquer histoire de nous donner envie de lire la suite et ça marche.
Le graphisme est tout doux et plaira à tous, il y a de très belles illustrations.
Je ne manquerai pas de lire la suite
Ce sont souvent des BDs méconnues et celle-ci en faisait partie. Et comme j'avais vu passer quelques avis intéressant je me suis dit ... "pourquoi pas !".
Et franchement je ne suis pas mécontente de mon achat car j'ai trouvé ce premier opus assez sympathique. Il s'agît d'une mise en abîme, un peu rapide certes, mais qui nous plonge dans l'univers sans tout nous expliquer histoire de nous donner envie de lire la suite et ça marche.
Le graphisme est tout doux et plaira à tous, il y a de très belles illustrations.
Je ne manquerai pas de lire la suite
February 5, 2023
I've loved Jurion's art ever since I first stumbled across it years ago (probably on some NSFW Tumblr post), so when I finally saw a complete comic book filled with his work, I instantly grabbed it. (Especially considering how difficult I've found it to obtain his work outside of France)
Excellent art (Gotta love those extreme angles and fish-eyed perspectives on some of the backgrounds) and a solid mythology/martial arts/superhero story will have me eagerly continuing this adventure.
Excellent art (Gotta love those extreme angles and fish-eyed perspectives on some of the backgrounds) and a solid mythology/martial arts/superhero story will have me eagerly continuing this adventure.
February 10, 2019
On dirait le croisement parisien entre l'émission pour enfants de Jackie Chan et un manga... mais en moins drôle que la série pour enfants.
Plusieurs clichés...
Les dessins des animaux sont absolument sublimes. Je l'ai lu seulement pour la couverture; je ne savais rien d'autre avant.
Plusieurs clichés...
Les dessins des animaux sont absolument sublimes. Je l'ai lu seulement pour la couverture; je ne savais rien d'autre avant.
May 17, 2016
Angel Tomassini is being ganged up on by bullies at school and ends up being saved by this Tiger. Odd, but ok. I kept going with it and we realize the Angel has been living with his head in the sand because he has no idea that his family is actually the mafia. As it goes on we find out there are these animal powers called Dizhi that each ancient family could possess. From there it lost me. While I liked the idea of the Dizhi, it just got more and more strange towards the end of it. I wish it would have focused more on the Dizhi and Angel acquiring the powers. Overall it felt really rushed, over much too quickly, and I was never able to connect with any of the characters.
I was immediately hooked on the cover of this comic book! I then read the synopsis and thought it sounded interesting, however I was a little disappointed in it. My husband and I started this together and it was too far fetched for him. I did continue with it, but just wasn’t a huge fan of it. It was a weird mix of superheros and villains with a shapeshifting twist in there.
I read through a few reviews hoping I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, but it seems pretty common. While most didn’t seem to enjoy the artwork, I actually did. I felt it was fitted to the story and I liked the tonal ranges. If this comic continues, I hope it takes the time to let the story build stronger.
I received this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
I was immediately hooked on the cover of this comic book! I then read the synopsis and thought it sounded interesting, however I was a little disappointed in it. My husband and I started this together and it was too far fetched for him. I did continue with it, but just wasn’t a huge fan of it. It was a weird mix of superheros and villains with a shapeshifting twist in there.
I read through a few reviews hoping I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, but it seems pretty common. While most didn’t seem to enjoy the artwork, I actually did. I felt it was fitted to the story and I liked the tonal ranges. If this comic continues, I hope it takes the time to let the story build stronger.
I received this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
April 17, 2016
*I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Hmmm. Mixed feelings about this one.
This volume is divided in 3 parts. The first part was amazing, the other two were... "meh".
At first I thought the artwork was amazing. Colorful, detailed, very clear etc... but then it became a bit more "sketchy". It felt like the artist had to hurry more and more and didn't have time to define the details.
As for the story: same as for the art, I really enjoyed the first part and then the two others less because it was too fast-paced with lots of 'holes' in the story. Which was such a shame because sometimes it felt a little confusing.
I think that if the writer and artist kept up the high level they performed for the first part, that I would have loved this graphic novel so much (and others too). Now, I'm not so sure if I will continue with this series.
Hmmm. Mixed feelings about this one.
This volume is divided in 3 parts. The first part was amazing, the other two were... "meh".
At first I thought the artwork was amazing. Colorful, detailed, very clear etc... but then it became a bit more "sketchy". It felt like the artist had to hurry more and more and didn't have time to define the details.
As for the story: same as for the art, I really enjoyed the first part and then the two others less because it was too fast-paced with lots of 'holes' in the story. Which was such a shame because sometimes it felt a little confusing.
I think that if the writer and artist kept up the high level they performed for the first part, that I would have loved this graphic novel so much (and others too). Now, I'm not so sure if I will continue with this series.
October 12, 2019
This book kind of just made me angry. Reading this on the couch I kept muttering “this is stupid. Ayy that’s so dumb >: (“
My brother asked what about what was so dumb, and I told him all the stupid stuff happening as I read it.
To be fair, this was only in part three of this comic. The first two parts were decent, if slow.
Ok let’s get more into this: the first two parts were incredibly removed from the third part. While for me the first two read like a graphic novel, the third part switches just so quickly into superhero comic style ???
Before I continue I'd like to share a comment I got from that same brother- I was telling him what the book was and he said "Oh so like a tiger furry"
You can do whatever you want with that information. Moving on...
Another thing was the characters were just not very character-y. The main character Angel is so so so annoying and none of the supporting characters are even worth a thought.
Which annoys me a lot. supporting characters matter and are essential to an interesting story
The cool thing for me was, well, of course, the drawings. Something about cool tiger guys fighting mafia guys. (Which wasn’t actually that frequent... oh well)
Let’s get into the “lore” of this world, the dizhis (basically all those were tigers and other were creatures) One thing I thought was cool was how there were said to be very few left, saying they had killed each other off. That gives a great insight into what these dizhi guys are really about...
However, the dizhis are cool! I would have liked to actually see more of them, or at least more personality out of the few that showed up. Maybe I just want more characterization...
Before I end this joyful reveiw I'd like to share a comment I got from that same brother- I was telling him what the book was and he said "Oh so like a tiger furry"
You can do whatever you want with that information. Moving on...
Happy Ending Rating: 2/10 for being basic, boring, and rushed
My brother asked what about what was so dumb, and I told him all the stupid stuff happening as I read it.
To be fair, this was only in part three of this comic. The first two parts were decent, if slow.
Ok let’s get more into this: the first two parts were incredibly removed from the third part. While for me the first two read like a graphic novel, the third part switches just so quickly into superhero comic style ???
Before I continue I'd like to share a comment I got from that same brother- I was telling him what the book was and he said "Oh so like a tiger furry"
You can do whatever you want with that information. Moving on...
Another thing was the characters were just not very character-y. The main character Angel is so so so annoying and none of the supporting characters are even worth a thought.
Which annoys me a lot. supporting characters matter and are essential to an interesting story
The cool thing for me was, well, of course, the drawings. Something about cool tiger guys fighting mafia guys. (Which wasn’t actually that frequent... oh well)
Let’s get into the “lore” of this world, the dizhis (basically all those were tigers and other were creatures) One thing I thought was cool was how there were said to be very few left, saying they had killed each other off. That gives a great insight into what these dizhi guys are really about...
However, the dizhis are cool! I would have liked to actually see more of them, or at least more personality out of the few that showed up. Maybe I just want more characterization...
Before I end this joyful reveiw I'd like to share a comment I got from that same brother- I was telling him what the book was and he said "Oh so like a tiger furry"
You can do whatever you want with that information. Moving on...
Happy Ending Rating: 2/10 for being basic, boring, and rushed
January 28, 2017
The art was the only nice thing about it, and it closely copied Disney style (the chauffeur is Disney-Tarzan's twin brother) and often crammed too much into one panel (action and the reaction to it) which loses the impact of the moment, since the reader might have to go over the panel a couple of times to be clear what just happened.
The protagonist is naive to the point of dimwittedness--how can a high school kid not even *suspect* that his family is mafia when everyone else in town knows?! The plot is rushed, jumps around, and is full of holes.
The characters are flat and don't develop, though some undergo extreme personality changes for no apparent reason--"*GASP!* You can't do that, he's your DAD!" "But I wanna!" "Oh, okay then."; the mean-girl so callous that her boyfriend's murder was just an inconvenience because she needs an escort to the party? Uh, she's the lovable damsel romantic interest now; previously squeaky-clean sheltered naive character? No hesitation to kill helpless strangers for personal gain. New faces come and go so quickly that I couldn't grow to care for or be moved by anyone.
The setting was disorientingly unclear--for a long while I thought it was in Spain or Italy, which would explain the sometimes awkward dialogue (stiff translation?), so I was confused to later find out it was supposed to be in Chicago.
And then in the second half they put the were-tiger in a spandex suit like the Flash, and they completely lost me. It's as if, instead of sitting down and planning out a coherent story to be a vehicle for this were-totem-animal idea, the author just mashed together everything they thought was cool--were-animals and mafia wars and undercover agents and superheros and high school romance, yeah!!!
Overall a pretty but disappointing bit of fluff.
The protagonist is naive to the point of dimwittedness--how can a high school kid not even *suspect* that his family is mafia when everyone else in town knows?! The plot is rushed, jumps around, and is full of holes.
The characters are flat and don't develop, though some undergo extreme personality changes for no apparent reason--"*GASP!* You can't do that, he's your DAD!" "But I wanna!" "Oh, okay then."; the mean-girl so callous that her boyfriend's murder was just an inconvenience because she needs an escort to the party? Uh, she's the lovable damsel romantic interest now; previously squeaky-clean sheltered naive character? No hesitation to kill helpless strangers for personal gain. New faces come and go so quickly that I couldn't grow to care for or be moved by anyone.
The setting was disorientingly unclear--for a long while I thought it was in Spain or Italy, which would explain the sometimes awkward dialogue (stiff translation?), so I was confused to later find out it was supposed to be in Chicago.
And then in the second half they put the were-tiger in a spandex suit like the Flash, and they completely lost me. It's as if, instead of sitting down and planning out a coherent story to be a vehicle for this were-totem-animal idea, the author just mashed together everything they thought was cool--were-animals and mafia wars and undercover agents and superheros and high school romance, yeah!!!
Overall a pretty but disappointing bit of fluff.
March 19, 2019
Klaw interested me first and foremost because of the cover. The art did not disappoint, although it is different than the style I am usually drawn to. The artist uses bold lines and lots of warm colors, which was a nice change from all the Batmans I read.
The premise interested me as well. Were-animals living among us and a secret ancient war? Sounds great! The premise continued to be promising throughout the first section of the book, but unfortunately sort of slowly loosened its grip in the second part before completely falling apart in the third part.
The pacing in the entire thing is quick. In the first two parts it's somewhat forgivable. The first time something happened that just seemed really fast it just sort of solidified the fact that yes, this is a YA book (if the high school drama and clueless main character were not clues enough up to that point). However, the third part takes place a full 7 years later, which might be fine except I sort of wanted to see the journey to that point. There seemed to be no character development in those 7 years either except that Ange is actually sort of a jerk now. He does things that just seemed completely out-of-character for teenage him, and we didn't get to see anything that really changed him.
I honestly started zoning out in the third section because it was jumping around haphazardly from super-tiger (why does he need a spandex suit? It's not like anyone can see his face in tiger-form) to the mafia, to the FBI, to the other Dizhi. I don't know. Too much happened while simultaneously boring me near the end.
The premise interested me as well. Were-animals living among us and a secret ancient war? Sounds great! The premise continued to be promising throughout the first section of the book, but unfortunately sort of slowly loosened its grip in the second part before completely falling apart in the third part.
The pacing in the entire thing is quick. In the first two parts it's somewhat forgivable. The first time something happened that just seemed really fast it just sort of solidified the fact that yes, this is a YA book (if the high school drama and clueless main character were not clues enough up to that point). However, the third part takes place a full 7 years later, which might be fine except I sort of wanted to see the journey to that point. There seemed to be no character development in those 7 years either except that Ange is actually sort of a jerk now. He does things that just seemed completely out-of-character for teenage him, and we didn't get to see anything that really changed him.
I honestly started zoning out in the third section because it was jumping around haphazardly from super-tiger (why does he need a spandex suit? It's not like anyone can see his face in tiger-form) to the mafia, to the FBI, to the other Dizhi. I don't know. Too much happened while simultaneously boring me near the end.
December 20, 2022
KLAW
Reviewed by Myles Bolsey
I’m reviewing the book KLAW, the first cycle written by Antoine Ozanam illustrated by Joel Jurion and colored by Yoann Guille. This is about a 12 year old kid who can turn into a magical tiger, he begins to train with a guy named Dan who can also turn into a magical tiger. The kid starts to fight crime to save the world. He fights ninjas, assassins, other people like him and random people. His name is Ange and he goes through a lot of pressure like his dad, cat, guardian and his friends. A lot of injuries happen to Ange like to his stomach, hands, head and his whole body. He really misses his mom as a child.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!
Things I liked about the book were the action and drama and Ange, the main character is very cool when he first turned into the tiger and when he kills other people like him to take their animals for more power when he is older. A sad thing in the book was when Dan died and that made Ange sad. Frank was Ange’s best friend as a kid and they stop being friends when they are grownups. Lisa was dating a bully named Kurt when she was younger and Dan Ange’s trainer kills him and Lisa starts dating Ange but they broke up in like a day because they got kidnapped and Lisa thought Ange killed Kurt. Ange went through a lot as he grew up by killing people by accident. This book is great for young adults and teenagers. I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
March 6, 2026
A comic book about a boy who has inherited a mystical power to turn into a powerful tiger-man, while the art is good, the story has issues... It's told in 3 parts, and the first 2 parts are not bad. It's a mystical kind of coming-of-age story, and there is a fair amount of action and novelty to it. In the third part, the book goes badly off the rails.... or on the rails? It goes from a relatively creative story-line to a weirdly by-the-numbers, uninspired super-hero story. And I say this as someone who LIKES super-hero stories. The first two parts were crowded with morally ambiguous characters - in this one they're all either black and white good or bad. Some of the most intriguing characters died, some of the more lackluster characters are back. One of them being inexplicably armed with a suit of super-villain-esque powered armor... somehow. The earlier parts' love interest was mostly a crush without much interest in the main character - now she's his soul-mate who absolutely adores him. It's all very clunky and uninspired, the art is still good, but it's so fractured from the best parts of the beginning - and so dull as well - that it makes the full book hardly worth reading.
November 9, 2018
Maybe a stronger 3, but definitely rounds up to 4.
Really promising start to a new series. Dynamic, colorful artwork and expressive character design. The art could get a bit busy and in general, it's not quite as beautiful as some artists out there - for example, Monstress or Saga (a personal favorite) - but enjoyable and definitely solid. There's tons of action and an interesting new fantasy/superhero spin. But in spite of the layers of characters and in-world mythology, I didn't feel lost. The last chapter (when Ange comes back to Chicago) does feel a bit rushed. I'd've loved a little more time spent with all the threads coming together there in Part 3. Still, it didn't feel too jumpy or overwhelmed - just could have been a little more filled out. Either way, there's a bit of closure here for the end of the First Cycle, but there are still enough cards in play to set up the next volume (which I'll have to start looking for!)
Really promising start to a new series. Dynamic, colorful artwork and expressive character design. The art could get a bit busy and in general, it's not quite as beautiful as some artists out there - for example, Monstress or Saga (a personal favorite) - but enjoyable and definitely solid. There's tons of action and an interesting new fantasy/superhero spin. But in spite of the layers of characters and in-world mythology, I didn't feel lost. The last chapter (when Ange comes back to Chicago) does feel a bit rushed. I'd've loved a little more time spent with all the threads coming together there in Part 3. Still, it didn't feel too jumpy or overwhelmed - just could have been a little more filled out. Either way, there's a bit of closure here for the end of the First Cycle, but there are still enough cards in play to set up the next volume (which I'll have to start looking for!)
September 6, 2021
Interesting premise of a secret society of mystic warriors who carry within them the powers of an animal totem; at first we think it's just pegged to Chinese astrology, but then we learn it's a fair bit more extensive than that. The artwork throughout is terrific; Joël Jurion brings a dynamic style the fuses the best I've seen from French and Japanese graphic traditions, and Yoann Guillé's colors are beautiful, lush and evocative. Unfortunately, Antoine Ozanam's script meanders and eventually bites off well more than it can chew...at least, it did to this American reader. The aspects of the writing here that bug me are things I've seen from other French graphic novelists, so it might just be a matter of American vs. French storytelling style and preference. Either way, this is certainly worth a look.
May 12, 2019
Interesting and fun story. Enjoyable art work, although the way the speech bubbles were drawn, sometimes it took a minute to figure out who was talking, but a small inconvenience. I felt the story ended rather abruptly, like we missed a whole bunch of stuff between the last fight and the end. I enjoyed the characters and would like to read the second cycle.
June 18, 2017
Incredible art and nice mythology, but not paced well, cramped, with flat stock characters.
December 20, 2019
I wanted to like this title more than I did, but it turns violent and confusing pretty quickly. It doesn't satisfy.
January 8, 2020
This coming of age story about a boy who finds out has the ability to morph into a tiger man and the man who shows him how to control the power.
October 15, 2023
On m'avait vendu cette BD comme assez originale mais je la trouve comme un sous kick-ass plus cliché et moins fun. Dommage.
February 27, 2024
Speed read this for a possible booklist inclusion at work. It was a fun time!
June 11, 2024
J'ai pas du tout aimé
May 26, 2025
3 stars for the story
5 stars for the art
5 stars for the art
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