Topside

by J.N. Monk, Harry Bogosian (Contributor)

A wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way.

When Jo, a headstrong maintenance technician, makes an error that destabilizes her planet's core, she only knows one way to fix things: leaving her underground home for a trip to the planet's dangerous, unruly surface. Soon she's wandering through deserts, riding on the back of giant beasts, and cutting deals with con artists and bounty hunters. Meanwhile, agents of the core are in hot pursuit. J. N. Monk and Harry Bogosian (co-creators of the web-comic StarHammer) present a wild outer-space fantasy about fixing your mistakes and the friends you meet along the way.

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

200 pages, Library Binding

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

J. N. Monk is a Midwesterner with a song in their heart. They’ve lived in a lighthouse, an active volcano, and Florida but always return to the heartland. They love travel, superheroes, food, and cats and wish that everyone knew the lyrics and steps to the musical number in their soul. They live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Reviews

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I struggled pretty hard with this one. I had a hard time grasping the main plot-line and the way the art was styled just felt a little.. messy? I didn't hate this, but it just didn't really work for me.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jo, a technician in the planet's core makes a mistake and heads topside to fix it. There she makes some friends with strange abilities on her way to find supplies to fix her dying world. Meanwhile, she is pursued by bureaucrats for not filling out the correct paperwork. An interesting, all-ages, sci-fi world. I thought the end got a little wonky and rushed.

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

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun little romp, an adventure story on two levels. On one level is Jo, just trying to fix a problem that she caused before she is found out, and the bureaucrats that are trying to catch her, because they have discovered that she is "topside" (on the surface of the planet) where she is not authorized to be.

Illustrations are quite fun, and the shark in the dress, who is a bounty hunter, also ads to the fun.





It is a story of taking responsibility and having to trust, even people who are untrustworthy, and are con artists, or bounty hunters.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Brianna - Four Paws and a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a perfectly fine graphic novel. I am loving dystopian, post apocalyptic stories right now, but there was just no set up or world building in this one. I didn’t get enough backstory on the side characters which made it so I didn’t really care about any of them.

[Steff Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

| Reader Fox Blog |


Topside by J. N. Monk and illustrated by Harry Bogosian was interesting. I honestly left it feeling kind of thrown about the whole thing and not really sure what I had just read. A space adventure on a faraway planet that features a technician going "topside" in order to fix a mistake that damaged her planet's core. Many people live beneath the surface of the planet and her travel to the surface sparks a wave of panic among the leaders of the society and a massive manhunt for the missing technician.

Honestly, I feel like Topside was kind of half-completed and thrown together. The whole thing felt very rushed, from the world-building (vague and confusing) to the plot (pointless at times and filled with annoying conveniences) to the characters (very much caricatures). In so many ways it felt like the elements were all thrown together with the hope that they would make a cohesive and engaging story, but instead resulted in one of the most confusing point A, point B plotted stories I've ever read.

I didn't hate this story, but I really didn't like it, either. I felt the conclusion was a bit ridiculous and the story as a whole just wasn't all that engaging or interesting. The characters who weren't incredibly annoying were quiet and rather dull. The motivations behind the antagonist were minimal which ultimately resulted in a "convenient" moment within the story when the conflict was resolved.

And I think, ultimately, I just didn't understand the point. Of anything.

The artwork was nice, but nothing exceptional, which ultimately leaves me feeling as though this story is just below average. Nothing about it really stands out to me, except perhaps a single character who was the equivalent of an alien lamp, simply due to how interesting I found his existence to be. Overall, I simply couldn't manage to get past how underdeveloped everything felt.

I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

| Instagram | Twitter | Reader Fox Blog | Bloglovin’ | Facebook |

[disco · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 What a time to be reading dystopian, post apocalyptic stories right? The characters are endearing enough but there was a lack of world building that made the story a little hard to follow.

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC.

I enjoyed this science fiction comic! The illustrations are alright, very simple, but I like the style of less dialogue, more pictures! You can learn a whole lot without saying a word. Jo is a low on the totem pole technician on a planet (future Earth?) where topside is deserted and everyone lives underground. She sends herself on a mission and you must read it to see where it leads! And you won't believe it!

[Laci Carrera | Book Pairings · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m bummed to say I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I thought I would. I didn’t find the characters or pacing on the plot to be that engaging. The plot sounded very promising, but I just ended up being kind of bored. I also thought the art style was a bit messy and less compelling than a more polished style.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Topside' with story and art by J.N. Monk is a SF graphic novel about a maintenance tech trying to correct a mistake on a hostile world.

Jo works in maintenance on her planet. When she makes a mistake and needs to try to correct it. The parts won't arrive for a while, but she can take a shortcut if she heads to the surface of the planet. The problem with that is that it's unknown and dangerous. She finds help along the way and helps people while she is at it.

This was a fun story. I liked the characters and the weird world it takes place on. The art is pretty unique and colorful.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lerner Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Chessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this, but I found it just okay. The world building is strange and the art was honestly not my fave - I found myself wondering many times if/what I was missing because of confusingly drawn panels. The whole thing just felt a little bit slapped together and not super cohesive - I think I needed more connective tissue between plot points.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review - this did not affect my review, etc.

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A weak ending, but what a journey to get there. Some really outstanding worldbuilding that's cohesive with the author's thesis here, which is all too rare. A clever fusion of scifi, cyberpunk, and post-apocalyptic trappings - think Adventure Time by way of Amazon.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the art style, but it felt really rushed near the end.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little confused by the ending, but I can certainly relate to the feeling of wanting to just fix *everything* so that it stays fixed!

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives a very Nausicaa in space vibe. But she’s being pursued by bureaucrats rather than Ohm. Anyway, we follow Jo, a worker in the core of the planet trying to keep the machinery functioning. But everything is breaking. She goes on a quest to the Topside and bites off way more than she can chew. Good thing she finds some unlikely friends and they work together to save their planet.

Overall, pretty good. The art is beautiful and the coloring is just stunning. The story is a bit convoluted but okay. The ending leaves it open to a sequel and I hope we learn more about Jo’s new position. We’re left more confused than I would have liked.

[Cori // ghostlightbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book was the art. The style is beautiful and the coloring is absolutely gorgeous. I was really jiving with the plot and characters at the beginning but as things progressed I felt there wasn't enough explained about what was happening. I think this could have benefited from being a little bit longer in order to flush out the characters and add some more detail to the plot. That being said I would totally read this again and I'd read a continuation or something in the same world.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this book while browsing available YA graphic novels to borrow on the LA public library website. I was in the mood to be dropped into another universe. The art and world(s) are inspiring; the plot disappointing. The characters are fun, imaginative, but lack depth. It’s not a book I would come back to, but I’m glad I read it.

[Dax · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful layouts and color schemes. The story itself was fun and had some interesting characters sadly they were not the main character. It would be interesting to see what this world would look like after the events in this book. Here's hoping there's a sequel.

[FSSTBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

TOPSIDE
AUGUST 27, 2019
Authors: J.N. Monk and Harry Bogosian
Year: 2019
ISBN: 9781541561120
Publisher: Graphics Universe ™
Goodreads Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Warnings: Mild violence
Purchased or Received Copy: Received copy from Netgalley

Topside takes place on a planet with two separate populations. Josephine “Jo” Wilson lives in the Interior, a subterranean society that races to keep up with the crumbling technology keeping their homes together. After making a serious error in repairing a core, Jo goes to the surface, also called the Topside. While there, she meets a host of Topside residents. Tenz is a woman of many names with a mysterious past. The youthful and curious Kevin is a Drevari, a race of shape-shifters who looks to Tenz as a mother figure. Karina and Lumi, a shark woman and a person made out of electricity, are bounty hunters turned friends. Jo didn’t have authorization to leave the Interior, so she used a key that belonged to one of her superiors. After her sudden and unexplained disappearance, Interior forces begin pursuing her.

One of my strongest feelings while reading Topside is how much I like the characters, especially Jo. She seems like a reliable, responsible woman. In fact, the whole reason she went to the surface was because she made a mistake and wanted to fix it. She didn’t try to blame somebody else or avoid accountability. I don’t know exactly why that stuck out to me so much, but Jo is a great character for people that like down-to-earth, no nonsense characters. She’s a repair technician, and that is her main motivation. She works hard to help support her parents and younger sister. She makes a mistake and takes matters in her own hands to make things right. True, she also wants to avoid punishment for destabilizing the planet’s core, but nobody’s perfect.

Even after talking about Jo, I’d have to say that Topside draws its greatest strength from its characters. Each one has a story to tell, even if there are more questions than answers. Karina refers to Kevin as a refugee, but doesn’t say from what, or why Tenz is so protective of him. We never see how Karina and Lumi met or became romantically involved. Still, we see their chemistry as they work together and amplify each others’ strengths. They may be a shark woman and a living lightbulb, but isn’t that what a good relationship is all about? I don’t know if the authors plan to expand on this universe in the future, but they sure gave themselves room to.

Bogosian’s illustrations make Topside a joy to look at. His style is very round and soft, juxtaposing the tension and mood with a welcoming image that encourages the reader to keep taking in every detail. I also liked his use of monochrome. Certain pages used almost entirely values of a single color, which I think told an interesting visual story. The Interior is case in cold, metallic blues. The Topside is a warm desert of rusty reds and yellows. Topside meshes Monk’s writing with Bogosian’s illustrations in harmony, and they seems to bring out the best in each other as a team.

Despite the well-woven tapestry that is is the universe of Topside, I felt that the finishing touches weren’t quite there. Without spoiling the ending itself, I’ll just say that the pacing grinds to a halt for a contrived and overly convenient conclusion. The main conflict is between the improvisational spontaneity of the Topside and the rigid bureaucracy of the Interior. It’s a conflict that the story pretty much tosses to the side and it felt jarring. It’s a shame, considering how skilled Monk is with their use of tension and suspense earlier on in the story. I feel that the story would have greatly benefitted if they had revised the last five pages or so one more time to keep the momentum going that they had already established.

Still, Topside offers a window into a universe that left me hungry for more. I would like to explore these author’s other works, and I hope they explore the universe of Topside even more in the future.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group Graphic Universe for giving me this an advanced digital copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


This graphic novel follows the story of Jo, a young girl who lives on a planet that constantly needs fixing. After screwing up a job she decides to take go on her own to fix her screw up without alerting anyone, but obviously, people find out she travels to the Topside.


Topside world-building and style is exactly what you expect from an outer-space fantasy — weird alien creatures, unexplained superpowers, adventure, and cool technology. The idea and essence of Topside were promising, but it, unfortunately, failed to deliver. The graphic novel had absolutely no plot, or at least it had several plots that did not merge together nor came to a solution. The characters were flat and unmemorable, I felt nothing for them except for the shark lady and the lightbulb dude — but still did not feel enough attachment remember their names.


The main problem was that J.K Monk and Harry Bogosian tried to create this complex world with intertwining story arcs but gave no explanation or conclusion to them. Jo, in particular, set out to fit out the core she damaged (and according to the book’s description it was the planet’s core but it never made that big of a deal) but never actually did in the end? Instead at the end the characters somehow became the protectors of the planet and it is never really explained aside from that. All other goals before that suddenly just vanished.

However, the art style was quite pleasant. It reminded me of a Ghibli style with really round-faced characters, mind-boggling backgrounds, and creatures. It brought back memories of the days I obsessively watched Porco Rosso.


Overall, it is an average graphic novel. It’s worth a read if you want to appreciate the art but not worth it if you’re looking for a well-plotted story.

[D.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

STORY
Basically, the mistake of a would-be techno working bee causes a big problem and shenanigans ensue. I could not get a grasp of the world-building, but it did not bother me. This is a world where engineers and technicians are everywhere, a shark and a light-bulb are in love, and a shape-shifter and a cantankerous woman make an almost-family.
The side-plot with the office guy trying to live up to his dad’s legacy was okay, but I was much more interested in Jo’s business. He reached an abrupt epiphany that’s, well, abrupt haha. I guess after all that trouble he was like I’ll never do this again.

CHARACTERS
My favorite characters were Lumi and Kevin because they were full of personality, and I had so many questions about their backstory. Every time when junk got real one of those two would surprise me.

Jo is headstrong, logical, and tough on herself. The way Jo communicates (in the narration boxes) is like a service report. Her thoughts are quick to the point and always trying to find a solution. Unique. Her earnest desire to take overtime so she could financially support her parents and baby sibling was very relatable.

Tenz was unlikeable from the get-go, but that’s the point. Toward the end, I slowly got a sense of her character motivations. she’s been surviving for herself for the longest, and she wants to show everyone she was able to make it on her own. Family’s a tough subject for hence the refusal to let Kevin call her Ma.

ART
The character designs were great. It’s always nice to have a diverse cast. At the end of the book, the creators leave their thought-process and inspirations behind the character’s look. Since learning the inspirations, I think they nailed it in that department.
Also, the color direction is very colorful! In fact, after two pages, the color palette resets and resets. I weep for the colorists but applaud them too for their efforts!

OVERALL
I liked this one!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually I give high ratings to books that are exceptional in one way or another, while still being solid in most other ways. Topside isn't necessarily exceptional in itself, but it is an exceptional example of genre fiction done well. It's your typical bildungsroman, about an everyman(woman) who finds herself in unusual circumstances and meets various misfits who help her on her quest whilst being pursued by a representative of an evil empire. Nothing new, right? However, each character gets just enough characterization to create a connection with the audience, each section of the journey is given just the right amount of time in the story, the good/bad dichotomies are distinct but not immutable, and the balance between story and worldbuilding is just right-it leaves you with questions and wonder but doesn't overwhelm. I will confess, the ending was a bit deus ex machina- but, honestly, just a bit. The art teeters on being too cartoony for the subject matter, but the inks and colors are rich and distinct. And there are some really, really creative details, like a giant worm that disguises itself as an inhabited city to lure sentient prey and a mass transit vehicle that both walks on legs and rides on rails. Jo herself is likable and relatable and very human. It's too bad it's not a part of a series because it would get more attention, but to make it more might have upset the nearly perfect balance the story has is all other areas.

[Book Minded Mag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Topside is a fun, full-of-adventure comic that shows readers what happens when you step away from the familiar.

Josephine Wilson has lived in the Core her entire life and currently works there as a reliable repair technician. Jo gets things done and is the one to count on. But when she makes a rare mistake, Jo decides to go Topside, meaning above ground. She’s never left the Core before but is determined to make things right. While Topside, she encounters beings and sights she’s never seen as she’s being chased by her employer, the Interior.

Topside was a lot of fun to read and it was refreshing to read a comic that wasn’t all doom and gloom. So many comics and graphic novels are either gruesome, bloody or just plain dark. But Topside explores what it means to move out of your comfort zone, even when fear tries to stop you. I also loved that the characters were mostly people of color, with Jo as the heroine. But she wasn’t written as a stereotypical sassy or angry black woman. Jo is sensitive, hardworking but also willing to listen and let others help her. She is written as a person and I definitely appreciate that.

I would definitely recommend Topside to all of my readers who enjoy comics and graphic novels. I think they and their children would enjoy it.

[Nore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comic set in a sprawling, atmospheric world with a background that is heavily referenced but never fully explored. It's both hindered and helped by almost goofy art with no sharp edges - a character like Karina, a superintelligent shark in a mech suit and a pretty dress, doesn't look out of place in the slightest, but it's hard to take the deep, awe-inspiring mythos seriously when the art looks like a silly kid's comic. You can't even tell the age of the MC - she looks like a kid, but is she? No clue.

The narration style isn't too great, either. Jo's journal entry is used as a backdrop to speed things along during some scenes, and it gave me a weird sense of distance from the actual goings-on. Given that this is a fairly short comic at 200 pages, and not much time is devoted to developing the characters themselves, I found it difficult to connect with any of them on an emotional level in between these scenes. (I did love Lumi conceptually though! He reminded me of a Novakid from Starbound; his design was so cute.)

But I liked this! Very imaginative, and the world seemed interesting. I probably would have enjoyed this more if it were in a longer series format instead of being condensed down into 200 pages, because there was way too much to fit in such a short book.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun sci fi graphic novel.

Jo is a maintenance worker in the core of the planet she lives on. She makes a mistake one day that will take a long time to get the supplies to fix. Instead of waiting, she goes to the surface of the planet, or the topside, to get the supplies. She ends up leading a bunch of people on a chase around the planet.

There were some funny parts to the story. When the workers were chasing Jo to reprimand her for making the mistake, they had to keep stopping to get approval for different tasks. They couldn’t pursue her without permission. That was funny, because every time they caught up to her, she got away because they had to wait for permission.

I didn’t like the colours used in the graphics. The colours were good when the characters were on the top side, but when they were in the core, the colours were monochromatic. That made it difficult to tell what was actually happening in the graphics, since everything was the same colour.

I enjoyed this graphic novel.

Thank you Thomas Allen and Son for providing a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if you'd never seen the sky?

Just a week or so ago, my region was under a massive smoke cloud from forest fires, to the point where the air was at the most extreme levels of unhealthy. We had to cancel outdoor services, create extra filtering devices for our house... anyway, all that to say not seeing the sky feels not-so-sci-fi right now.

In this case, tho, the protagonist and the rest of their culture lives under the surface of their planet. When a mechanical problem happens, our hero goes to the surface for the first time.

What follows is a journey (inevitable Wizard of Oz/Zita the Spacegirl comparison here), where the hero and an increasing band of companions traverse a variety of environments, encounter many types of creatures, and confront an adversary.

I loved the colorwork here. Lots of saturation, good use of white in places, nice variety of skintones on the characters.

I'm having a hard time figuring out why most reviews say 8th and up.

I liked it a lot!

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of imagination on display here, especially when it comes to the unique characters surrounding Jo on her journey to rectify a mistake, which leads to be a planet-changing experience. Characters like Karina (shark lady) and Lumi (electricity man) are distinctive and well utilized as the group make their way on a treasure hunt into their planet's past.
While the secondary characters are fascinating, Jo herself didn't make much of an impression on me. But the journey goes to some strange places (many of which aren't ever really explained), and leads to an eventful conclusion. The art is okay, although I felt the color saturation was a bit more distracting than helpful.
Still, all told it's an interesting story with some unique characters and moments that has a bit to say about culture and bureaucracy. It's not something to go out of your way to read, but it isn't a waste of time.

[insane person · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this E-Arc in exchange for my honest review! What a cute graphic novel! A super quick read and pretty fun!

I am newer to graphic novels than most so this was a great entry level read for me. The story is light, the plot somewhat vague and the characters were very surface level. Nothing too deep or thought provoking which I happened to enjoy in this story. The sci-fi was very digestible which makes this an ideal option for a younger audience that enjoy monsters, different worlds and walking sharks that wear dresses. The rag tag band of misfits were endearing and kept me easily engaged throughout their journey.

The artwork is the standout here. It’s adorable while still appearing apocalyptic and rustic, fitting the story perfectly.

I wouldn’t mind reading a sequel to this!

[Kiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

A fun and interesting dystopian graphic novel. It kind of reminded me of The City of Ember and Girls' Last Tour, Vol. 1. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the art. I did wish that the characters had a little more depth to them, though. I would have felt more connected to the story if they did.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this graphic novel. We follow our main character, Jo as she goes on an adventure to try and fix the planet's core - that she accidentally destabilized while she was working on it. Along the way, she meets a guide and her son, and two bounty hunters. Together they travel to the Stone Forest and end up finding way more than they bargained for. Can Jo fix everything? Or will this be the one thing that she can't fix?
I really loved this - the story was great. It left me wanting more. I want to know more about all the characters and their world and how it works. I want to know how it got to be how it is. I want more of the bounty hunters! They were a shark and her Edison bulb husband. They were so cute. Overall, a great graphic novel.

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested this title on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
3.25 stars

The artistic style and originality of this graphic novel was really unique. It was so fun to read as this rag tag group of very different individuals travel through different places to basically save the world.

When technician Jo cannot complete a task in her underground world, she must break some rules and go Topside to find a specific material she needs to fix things. Topside, she meets a group of different individuals who join her on her journey, all the while being chased by the authorities who are trying to bring her to justice.

This was just really cool and I enjoyed it a lot.