Isle of the Lost: The Graphic Novel

Descendants Graphic #1

by Robert Venditti (Adapter), Melissa de la Cruz, Kat Fajardo (Illustrator)

Book one in the #1 New York Times best-selling Descendants series--now in the wickedly fun, action-packed graphic novel! Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost--a dark and dreary place protected by a force field that makes it impossible for them to leave. Stripped of their magical powers, the villains now live in total isolation, forgotten by the world. Mal learns from her mother, Maleficent, that the key to true darkness, the Dragon's Eye, is located inside her scepter in the forbidden fortress on the far side of the island. The eye is cursed, and whoever retrieves it will be knocked into a deep sleep for a thousand years. But Mal has a plan to capture it. She'll just need a little help from her "friends." In their quest for the Dragon's Eye, these four kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family tree, being good ain't so bad.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Comics, Young Adult, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 4, 2018

About the author

Robert Venditti is a New York Times bestselling author of more than three hundred comic books and graphic novels. Some of his works include the monthly comic book series Justice League, Superman ’78, Hawkman, and Green Lantern for DC Comics, X-O Manowar, Armor Hunters, and Wrath of the Eternal Warrior for Valiant Entertainment, and the graphic novel Six Days, inspired by the story of his uncle’s participation in D-Day. He has also adapted Rick Riordan’s global bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus novels, as well as Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia and Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. His graphic novel The Surrogates was adapted into a feature film by Touchstone Pictures, and his work on The Flash was the basis for season three of the CW television series.

Venditti lives in Atlanta, where he both writes and serves as a storytelling consultant for some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world.

Reviews

[Kassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful artwork! I enjoyed this version more than the book version.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

0/10 not gay enough

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, sub-par artwork.

[ambyr · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is how much I love my niece: I read the entire thing as a bedtime story. And I didn't even think to grab a glass of water before I started.

Is it good? I mean, speaking as an adult reader who has no attachment to the Descendants franchise, not really, but I've read a lot worse.

[Shannon]

The Isle of the Lost: The Graphic Novel
Descendants Graphic, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: Novel Watching Crew September Read

The Story:

I like the idea of stories about the children of Disney villains however this particular one was just too juvenile for me. Spending time plotting revenge for being snubbed by someone for not inviting you to their birthday party is a waste of time to me.

The Random Thoughts:

The fact that I couldn’t force myself though 128 pages just further proves Graphic Novels are not for me. I keep trying, mostly because my nephew insists it’s just because I haven’t found a subject I like.

*DNF so no rating

[Mary Havens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just wasn't holding my interest. It felt very much like opposite day. I liked the world building but it seemed too juvenile for my tastes (and I completely understand that it's for a juvenile audience). I wonder if the books are better? I'll ask my daughter.

[Claire Margetts Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mostly read this book so I could have it approved and put in my classroom library. It’s definitely written for elementary to middle school-aged children. It’s a quick read and includes some fun Disney-references and humor. I was surprised to see that the story line differs from the Descendants movies, which could make it an interesting read for fans of the film franchise.

[Meredith Spidel · Rating 5 out of 5]

After enjoying the novel, my daughter, who loves graphic novels, was so excited to check this out! Very neat adaptation of the story and looking forward to more! Thanks for sending a copy for review, Disney Books!

[Aleta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork wasn't my favorite.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this a lot, it is a great book SPOILER It is about 4 children who go to the forbidden fortress to get maleficent's scepter and they learn that being good isn't bad.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly delightful! I haven't read the original books yet but now I extra want to (as well as reading the other comics versions).

[Sophia Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

*sighs*. Why did I waste my time reading this?

[Frankie Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in one day. I kept trying to read it but it was too big so I got the graphic novel!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think you know Descendants, even after watching the 3 Disney Channel films, you don't know Descendants!

In this adaptative graphic novel by Robert Venditti (off of Melissa de la Cruz's first book in the series) and wonderfully illustrated by Kat Fajardo, meet the Bad Kids, who are the offspring of well-known villains:
Mal, is the daughter of the evil Fairy, Maleficent
Evie, is the daughter of the vain Evil Queen
Jay is the son of the ambitious Jafar
and
Carlos is the son of the fur-loving Cruella De Vil.
exiled to an island away from the Fairytale heroes and kept there by a force field.
Mal, who is not friends with the others, unites with them to uncover a magical tool that will allow them to break the barrier and cause havoc on the kingdom of Fairytale heroes.

Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Aurondale, Prince Ben, son of King Beast and Queen Belle, is bent on making some changes and making Aurondale a more inclusive place...(Sound familiar to reality presently?)
However, he is met with opposition by the sidekicks of fairytales who feel that they're not receiving the gratitude they deserve.

The Graphic Novel is great for those who would love a visual aide, whether they have seen the first or any of the Descendants films. The characters resemble their on-screen personalities, but that's about where the plot and characters remain alike. Fajardo's illustrations capture the Disney iconic characters as well as their onscreen counterparts and throw homage to other locations featured in several iconic films. One of the delightful treats are the villains that serve as teachers at the Baddies school, including cameos by Dr. Facilier (from Princess and the Frog), Mad Madam Mim (from Sword in the Stone), Lady Tremaine (from Cinderella) and Yen Sid (the sorcerer from Fantasia). Another note that all of the films don't generally expand on are each of the four teens' backstories and personalities or their relationships with their parents or each other. All of these are brought to light and the issues of self-image, images conveyed to them, personal dreams are here. While the adventure plot may seem like a stereotypical quest, but with de la Cruz at the helm, its going to be one heck of ride!

[Blythe Penland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this novel was an adaptation that suited the story well. I can remember reading the Isle of the Lost for the first time back in 2015, and this novel allowed me to relive that take again. I had actually forgotten that both Ben and Mal had experienced dreams with each other in them. But those dreams and Ben's solution for the sidekicks put him on the path of welcoming the VKs from the Isle. I was proud of Ben for not only being a king like his father, but also being kind and well-read like his mother. As a bookworm myself, it never hurts to read. I really liked this story because of how it developed the relationship between Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos. For most of their lives, they were not close. Heck, they didn't even consider each other friends. And after Evie's sixth birthday party, Evie had been subject to a life castle-schooled by her own mother. She didn't deserve that fate and Mal didn't deserve to be uninvited. That's the thing. They are not their parents. None of them. Not even Ben. They have to forge their own path and make their own decisions without their parents' bias. These kids are now bonded and dare I say, friends. Especially after learning how badly each other parents raised them and seeing how that hurt them, they can now all relate to each other and commiserate together. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to those who love Descendants.

[Ellyn → Allonsythornraxx · Rating 3 out of 5]

01/08/2024
3 ⭐️
Okay so maybe if I’d read the blurb on the back cover I would’ve known it was a prequel to the movies but I didn’t so it was a nice surprise for me! I actually really enjoyed this one so if I see the next one at the library I’ll definitely pick it up!

read for the graphicsathon august bingo challenge

Letterboxd | Instagram | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Twitter | StoryGraph | Hoemance Book Club | Graphicsathon | Scoobathon

[Corey Heitschmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is a fast-paced comic format. Set on the island with a dome that keeps out magic and enchantment, we get a story that enters the fantasy world right from the start. The art is bright on the characters while darker on the background which you usually get in graphic novels. But the illustrations are great and provide a great addition to the reading for those who like the graphic novels and fantasy genre. This is a quick read, and I liked how this one can be a great entry point into a story and series for young readers looking to connect reading with the colorful illustrations. Venditti keeps the story moving while preserving humor, mischief, and making it a fun engaging read.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the evil villains were banished from Auradon to the Isle of the Lost where a dome covers the island repelling magic. The children of these villains are being raised to be evil. They have no friends since they lie and steal from each other. When Mal learns that her mother's talisman, the scepter, is alive she must find it. She embarks on an adventure with her "friends" chosen for their abilities to help her get what she wants. The four unlikely companions learn much more as they search for the powerful Dragon's Eye. Relying on each other for safety proves a real learning opportunity on how to become actual friends.

[Fenris the Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really cute. I've never seen the movies, so I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I found myself caring for the characters and their plights pretty quickly. The "villainous baddies love being rotten!" gimmick is super funny to me, so I enjoyed what others may find cheesy or overblown. What can I say? It's so ridiculous, it works. I especially enjoyed watching the bond between the characters grow and watching Mal's character grow over the course of the book. I've got to admit, though - the de Vil boy was my favorite of the cast, hands down.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I can't really be surprised that the writing was bad as I picked this up when I realized that the non-graphic novel was unreadable. I'm a big fan of the movies, in all their cheesy-campy-ness, but these books are nothing like the movies. Again, not surprised in how bad it was, but I wanted to at least have a general idea of what occurred in the books.
The art was really good, though. I'll have to see if they did any other GNs.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book because it's fun mal wanted to get revenge on Evie she she made a party Carlos's house and lock her in closet Carlos fidget with his toy and made a hole into the barrie and maleficent crow came back saying the dragons eye was on the island she sent mal off too find it and thats what mal wanted to do to get revenge on here to make here touch it with friends the adventure begins.

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review 1
A VERY quick read. Too quick, compared to the original book which is over 300 pages. It missed a lot of crucial parts from the original, and I know it's a graphic novel, but still. Not the best, unfortunately. I guess I only like certain Graphic Novels.
Review 2
So quick of a read, that I read it again the next day because I had nothing to read. Same opinions, but I noticed WHOLE ENTIRE chapters and parts of the story missing.

[Olivia Arnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honesty wasn't a fan it didn't follow the movie at all so I think that was my issue is the comparing of the 2.
It shows Mal as a kid and not invited to Eve birthday party and now Mal hates her. When they are older Mal still hates her and only Carlos likes Eve when she is the new girl in school from "castle" school.
Then they try to find Maleficent's wand thats still on the island and all become friends after that.

[Library Lady 📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this short graphic adaptation of Isle of the Lost. Took the story a bit to get going. I wasn't really interested in an entire plot about a girl wanting revenge on someone who shunned her ten years ago, but once they had a better goal, it was interesting and really fun to see the children of beloved characters we've known since childhood. A good adaptation.

[Katie Kaste · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun graphic novel. The Disney Descendants are busy trying to make a bad difference in the world. This is a retelling of the first Melissa de la Cruz book and not the movie. The characters of Mal, Carlos, Evie, and Jay are finally becoming friends. They go after and find the Dragon’s Eye Scepter. These characters are fun and enjoyable to read about.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art was neat.

I don't remember movie 1 as much as 2 but from what I remember it was incredibly different.
But I could be mistaken since I don't remember much.

Regardless I did enjoy the story. I have always liked the take on this, the villains and princes/princesses children and their lives.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I DNF the novel, so I thought I give the graphic novel a try because I want to know what happen in the first book. I really like the second book but I couldn't bring myself to finish the first one. So this graphic novel is very helpful.

[Brianna Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

I don’t remember anything from reading the book many moons ago but this was a fun different way of rereading the story. Absolutely loved the illustrations in this graphic novel.

[Liberty · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's shorter than the book it's based on but that's to be expected. However, a lot of scenes I like that featured the relationship between the parents and their children were cut. Oh well, I still enjoyed it.

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really fun, I liked it a lot. The art was great, and the story filled me in on several references and events that had previously been alluded to (mostly in fanfics).

I’ll probably (eventually) get around to reading the full novelisations, but for now I’ll stick with the graphic novels.