Girl Genius: Omnibus Edition #1

Girl Genius #1-3

by Phil Foglio, Kaja Foglio (Artist)

Agatha Clay is a student at Transylvania Polygnostic University and a complete klutz. But when the University is overthrown and a mechanical monster stalks the streets, it begins to look as though Agatha may carry a spark of Mad Science after all! This convenient backpack-sized, black and white edition contains the first three volumes of the Girl Genius collection and is a perfect gift for anyone new to the series.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Steampunk, Fantasy, Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction, Humor

312 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2012

About the author

A popular science fiction fan artist in the 1970s, Phil Foglio began writing and drawing cartoons and comics professionally in the 1980s. His work includes Magic: The Gathering, Buck Godot, and the popular series of comics and novels, Girl Genius, co-written with his wife, Kaja Foglio.

Awards:
Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist (1977 and 1978)
Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story (2009, 2010, 2011)

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know. I should have liked this book. After all, it was chock full of steampunky goodness and gorgeous clanky robots, but...

-The artwork is W-A-Y too manga-ish, with exaggerated facial expressions and hard to follow action scenes.

-The plot is convoluted with too many characters, yet every few pages, another one is introduced.

-There's a jarring switch from lovely sepia tones (which seem better suited for the steampunk theme) to brilliant, day-glo colors. (Sorry - but I left my black light back in my seventies bedroom.) It's like stepping through a doorway, and suddenly you're not only not in Kansas anymore, but all the characters now look like extras from H.R. Pufnstuf.

Even a cynical, talking cat, the only character I could stand, can't keep this technicolor airship from crashing.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the mechanical bits and about half the characters. Not super grabbed by the plot?

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would easily rate this 5 stars if the first volume had not been so rocky. I found it slightly confusing. I did not appreciate being thrown into a convoluted story with no explanation.

So, now that I've voiced my complaint, I can still highly recommend this series. I eagerly look forward to the next, which I thankfully have. There were moments when I could imagine the next panel, moments when I was expecting some generic dialogue or story progression but this story, it's characters and setting to be exact, remained fairly unique, in a refreshing and non-annoying way. There was a great deal of humor that did not feel stale, even though it might have been a little cheesy, which is something I normally can not stand but it worked very well here. Some of the ideas and characters were disturbing, more so because the art is so cheerful.

[Leni Iversen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because it was just so entertaining and even made me laugh out loud on several occasions. The story, and the world, is a bit confusing at first, and the artwork is a bit too cartoonish for me, especially once it moves from sepia tones to bright, garish colours. It is also hard to make out what exactly happens in many of the action sequences. But I loved the characters and it was just the right amount of crazy for me. Things were really getting underway at the end, and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Edit: The whole (still ongoing!) series is available online. The omnibus covers the first three volumes. I have now completed volume 7, and I can't stop reading (I'm simply taking a short break to update my review). The story and characters get better and better, (the Jägerkin are the best thing EVER!) and there's even a new colouring artist after a while (who has turned Agatha's hair almost red, but other that that the change is working for me). I keep laughing loudly and my family is giving me odd looks. Highly recommended for anyone who likes mad science. (And who doesn't?)

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This graphic novel is a mix of machines, mad scientists, and mayhem.

Opening Sentence: Now, this isn’t a Heterodyne story like your Mama tells you when she tucks you into bed at night…well, not exactly.

The Review:

I don’t typically read comics. I have been known to read graphic novels now and again, but usually not straight up comics. They don’t last long enough for me to truly enjoy them. I certainly do not follow webcomics. I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look for them in the first place. That being said, I might start to after reading the Girl Genius Omnibus by Phil and Kaja Foglio. All I can say is…wow. Why am I just now hearing about these fabulous stories? Have I truly been living under a rock with my books and a flashlight this whole time?

These stories follow the (mis)adventures of one Miss Agatha Clay, the last heir to the Heterodyne Dynasty. A student of Transylvania Polygnostic University, she longs to become a scientist, even though nothing she makes ever works. If only she wasn’t plagued with poor concentration and lack of focus. When her locket, a family heirloom, is stolen, she begins to “grow” into her destiny, as a genius with the “spark”. The spark is what one is born with that allows the creator to take leaps and bounds around the accepted laws of the universe. Those with the spark tend to create things that are either monstrous or glorious, and most of the time, a spectacular combination of the two. Now that her talent has been uncovered, she is placed within the midst of other great minds; including royalty, both human and feline, and the handsome and dashing Baron’s son, Gilgimesh. Will her talents opening up a new world for her be for the better or worse? Can she hold her own among others equally as brilliant? Will Gilgimesh get the girl, or will his awkwardness around the opposite sex be his downfall? What will Krosp I, Emperor of All Cats, do next?

The whole setup is awesomely over-the-top. The dialog is witty and playful. The characters are lovable and mischievous. The villains could fit in any of the old Dudley Do Right episodes. The weirdness of all the gadgets built and the uniqueness of the non-humans, like the jagermonsters are fantastic. And you want to laugh at all the antics created by each and every one of them.

The artwork is amazing. The colors match the clarity of Agatha’s mind: Monochromic when she is still befuddled by the locket, and vibrant and colorful when her mind is cleared and the Spark begins to manifest. I really enjoyed this added bonus. It gives a whole new dimension to Agatha’s point of view. It is very similar to the movie, The Wizard of Oz, and its shift in cinematic color from black-and-white Kansas to color OZ. Overall, this omnibus contains a beautiful blend of technical and fantastical drawings that are worthy of even the most diehard fans of steampunk.

Even those who are not on board with the steampunk movement can enjoy the style and comedy of Phil and Kaja. I HIGHLY recommend this to everyone!

The Girl Genius Series:

1. Girl Genius Omnibus volume 1: Agatha Awakens

FTC Advisory: Tor Books provided me with a copy of the Girl Genius Omnibus. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic...

I've been a regular reader of this as a web comic for a number of years. I finally decided that it was time I showed my support by actually purchasing the first Omnibus for my collection.
The book itself is very nice, comes as a hardcover with nice glossy paper pages and good printing quality.
I've been a fan of Phil Foglio's art since his Myth Adventures / Phil & Dixie strips / D'Arc Tangent days. In a world of quasi super-realism comic book super heroes, his comical drawing style has always appealed to me. Others have tried to imitate his drawing style but always fell short (see the artist that succeeded him on Myth Adventures as an example).
I may not be completely up to date on the comic book styles of these young kids these days ;-) , but from what I gather this falls into a steam-punk stytle of story. What matters to me is that I like it and will no doubt be purchasing the next Omnibus sometime soon.

[Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE MOST PERFECT THING IN THE WORLD.

[Laura Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me first say that I give the comic in its entirety a 4.8 star rating, easily. Please allow me to indulge in a bit of history so you can see where I'm coming from.

My first peek at this comic wasn't online, but at Sakuracon about seven or so years back when they were handing out a free issue. I had never been much of a steampunk fan, so I only gave it a casual thumb-through before it was lost with other paper-swag I wasn't interested in.

Fast forward a couple of years, and I saw my boyfriend bringing it up in his line-up of weekly comic checks. He's guided me to some amazing web comics before, and I recognized the artwork from the convention (so unique and memorable that even a thumb-through during a crazy and hectic event leaves an impression). I decided to give it a go (what's to lose when it's free online?) and found myself absolutely struggling with the very first volume. There was simply too much information to take in with too little pay-off for someone not into steampunk. I gave up on it mid-way through the volume, chalking it up to one of the few areas where our tastes differ.

Fast forward to last month. My boyfriend-turned-husband is still just as devoted to the web comic, even showing me a page here and a page there that he found particularlly amusing. Bored at work and understanding just how much tastes can change, I decided to give Girl Genius another shot. The first chapter- even the first volume- is still difficult for me to muddle through, but I carry on with the belief that it has to get better. That things will be explained with time and the pay-off will be worth it.

It did, and it was. I was somewhere in the midst of volume two when I realized that along the way I had become completely hooked. The flow of dialogue worked well and was easy to follow, the storyline became intriguing, the characters were interesting, and all those questions warped from absolute frustration to tasty morsels of mystery. The best part is, the further I got into the story, the more I enjoyed it. Now, not even a month later, I'm almost completely caught up with the storyline and can't wait to see what the future holds.

As I said, I would give the over-all comic 4.8 stars, easily, but the first volume is a rough one. If you've never read Girl Genius before, please take the time to check out their web comic for free at girlgenius.com and at least give it until Volume 3 before you reach a verdict. The artwork isn't for everyone and the first volume can get frustrating. I normally can't stand storylines where it takes a couple of books/volumes to get into it, but the pay-off for such patience is huge for this one. If you're not in love with this comic by Volume 3 then it's not for you, and you can give yourself a pat on the back for not spending the money.

P.S.
The reason for the change from sepia tones to bright vivid techni-color actually gets explained. It was a brilliant tool to illustrate something very important to the story, so trust me when I say it's worth the patience to find out why it was done.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not much of a comic book connoisseur. Growing up in Belgium, I used to love bandes dessinées (or stripboeken, as they’re called in my native tongue Dutch): Asterix, Tintin, and hundreds of other famous and less famous titles. Later on, I grew into liking more experimental works by visionaries like the recently deceased Moebius, and later again, I read some of the modern English language classics like Watchmen and The Sandman. Current graphic novels or comics are something I just don’t know much about, aside from a handful of titles. Girl Genius Omnibus Volume 1: Agatha Awakens, on the other hand, is so much fun that it really got me excited about exploring some more authors and titles in this genre.

Please read the entire review here on my site Far Beyond Reality!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever and entertaining. I can't really judge how I'd have felt about each individual comic, I can't quite tell where the breaks would have fallen like I usually can in a big volume like this (this is an omnibus of the first ten comics in the series out of eleven printed as of this review), but that might be because those breaks are somewhat arbitrary in the first place if the strip is usually published three times a week online. But regardless of any of that, Agatha is a really winning hero, smart, funny, brave and bold, definitely a hero, NOT a sidekick. I can see that boys and girls, men and women, would all enjoy rooting for her and her companions, and be very eager to see what she's going to design and come up with to show all of those doubters what she's really made of. I'm looking forward to reading more about her adventures in the comics and in the novels as well.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

You ever have one of those times when something gets so hyped up that you're expecting greatness only to find that you're scratching your head trying to figure out what's actually going on? That was my experience with the omnibus of Girl Genius. It's not that I won't necessarily try out other volumes of the story. It's more that I was confused by much of the early going. The plotting feels all over the place without grounding the reader in the world right away. The color in the portions past the overlong prologue are shocking b/c the initial section has splashes of color amongst the largely brass and silver tones that tell you we're in a proper steampunk world. Girl Genius is okay, but nothing to be overly blown away by at the start.

[Beth Cato · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard wonderful things about this web comic series for years. It's pure steampunk: airships galore, crazy inventions, monstrosities of science, mad scientists and more.

I struggled at the start of the book because many new elements of world-building were thrown my way and things weren't explained quickly. It was really at the 2/3 point that I really got into it and found myself cheering for Agatha and the rest of the cast.

[Penny Ramirez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wasn't in the mood for this, although it was highly recommended. The artwork was too dense and the print too small for me to comfortably read while eating lunch - prime reading time for me! I might try again later, as the concepts were interesting.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun and enjoyable read! I kept hearing good things about this series. Very glad that my library had this omnibus collection. It gave me a quick, easy taste of what the series is about. I'll definitely read more very soon.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really should have liked this book more. Too many characters and I was utterly confused and bored the entire time it took me to read it. I couldn't wait to finish it so I didn't have to feel dazed and confused. I need a great pick me il book now!!

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was a lot more fun than I expected! I tried reading it a long time ago, but it just didn't work for me. Second time's the charm :)

[Coyora Dokusho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read at least (2) times

These volumes are a great introduction to Agatha and her world. The comic is soooooooo funny!!!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I waste so many years of my life having not read this book? I was a fool.

Girl Genius is amazing, and my life is better for having found it.

[blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phil Foglio is a guy whose work I've enjoyed since the days of "What's New! With Phil and Dixie" and who pops up again in my ramblings every few years. In this case, the first story of "Girl Genius" . I'd looked at GG a few years ago and found it entertaining but not compelling. With a broad cast of characters and some massive world-building and some very long story arcs, it was hard to get into jumping in the middle.

Read in sequence from the start, the first three books present a very satisfying story. Unsurprisingly, Foglio knows character design and how to use the medium in a way that—well, okay, it's a little dialogue bubble heavy a few places up front, but otherwise he's letting the art speak as much as it can. And unlike some of the contemporary floppies, the mere joy of creation abounds: There's detail and color, except when there's broad strokes and a sort-of tintype feel (especially in flashbacks). He's a real pro, is what I'm getting at.

His very distinctive character design is unsuited to certain body positions. I noticed once when a character has to turn his head very far back, his neck vanished. And the characters where he deviates from the swoopy, big-eyed look (going back to Phil & Dixie!) were somewhat jarring to me.

There are certain elements of the story, too, which feel somewhat clichéd, but I think that's partly because, 15 years later, this story has been copied a lot. And the long-tired trope of the super-powerful chosen one and who is suppressed by magic forces keeping her down etc. etc. etc.—well, it works here, very well, because Agatha feels real, for one thing, and because nothing is ever quite what it seems, for another. the Foglios do a artful job of presenting people doing good and ill in their imperfect ways, so that there's some interest in finding out the whys and wherefores.

Meanwhile, there's a tremendous benefit to (a longstanding Foglio tradition) of treating your characters and story earnestly but not too seriously. Anyone can have a comically bad moment, and most do, often at the worst times. Worth checking out.

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

What it's about: Agatha Clay lives in a world of mad scientists - in fact, she is interning for one, until he is killed in a not-quite-accidental explosion. Agatha has always wanted to be an inventor and mad scientist, but she's always had difficulty staying focused enough to complete a project. But when her family heirloom locket is stolen, she finds herself sleep-inventing. This leads to a case of mistaken identities, which lands her in the not-so-protective custody of Baron Baron Wulfenbach, a dictatorial ruler who has just taken over her town.

Soon Agatha finds herself at the center of chaos and confusion, and she learns that the fictional stories of the Heterodyne Boys, the fabled heroes, may not be fiction - and may have a direct connection to Agatha herself!

Why I rated it like I did: The story takes some common tropes and builds them out with some wild flourishes, but the tone and pacing feels very uneven. And there's something about the art that I dislike - I think it's the combination of oddly cartoonish proportions of the character's faces, along with a weird and subtle sexuality that shows up every so often. I'm interested by the story, but the whole presentation seems to veer about from innocent adventure tale to adult-edged weirdness in the blink of an eye.

[Sasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't like it, and my New Year's resolution was to not keep reading books I wasn't clicking with. I gave this one almost 50%. I was hard to decide not to keep reading: am I a bad person for not even giving the courtesy of finishing this book? What if the fans of this book hate me??? (lol as if that many people would care about this review) But after giving it some thought, I knew I wouldn't have any regrets if I didn't finish.

I think the story is fine but I hated the pacing. I never got invested in anything. The artwork wasn't doing it for me, and I wasn't a fan of most of the character styles, especially Agatha, with her big unnecessarily long scene in her underwear and the fact that, no matter how frumpy and buttoned-up she looked, you could always tell what shape her boobs were. I'm not a prude but it was gratuitous, and didn't fit with the type of story it was trying to tell. Clearly I'm not the audience for this, as averse to unnecessary fan service as I am. Even though some fan service is great. Food Wars = yes! This = bad! The boobiness and the cerebral/feminist-looking cover & plot didn't mesh. Not that they can't ever, it just wasn't done well here.

I've owned this book for years, and I'm happy to let it go.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Girl Genius back in grad school, and while reorganizing bookshelves, found this one and decided to give it a re-read (in part to decide whether or not it needed to live on a high shelf so the girls couldn't discover it on their own... and yeah, probably will put it up until they're older).

I had forgotten how fun it was. Some madcap adventures, a few delightful one-liners, and the beginnings of an engrossing story. (An engrossing story that goes on for-ev-er, if I recall correctly. And given that he's been writing it for almost 20 years and I've missed out on the last ten years or so, I'm a little afraid to dive back in... but the library has the next few, so I'll grab them and see how long I last.)

[Selena Pigoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read "chapter three", as I had read the previous chapters as individual releases. My library didn't have the third chapter separately, so I read it this way.

I'm disappointed that this was printed in black and white. Because chapters two and three were in color, it's really hard to see what's happening in some of the panels. I would have loved to see the insanity of chapter three in color.

I laughed so much at chapter three. The characters are great. The dialogue is a lot of fun. It's a little crazy and out there, and I love it.

[Anthony Faber · Rating 3 out of 5]

contains
Agatha H. and the Bettleburg Clank
First Girl Genius graphic novel. Steampunk and kind of hard to follow at times, but gets some points for originality. It also gives off ambiguous signals in that Agatha (and most other female characters) has both serious grrlpower and large breasts
Agatha H. and the Airship City
Girl Genius Graphic Novel #2. Takes up where "A.H. and the Beetleburg Clank" leaves off and you should probably read that first
Agatha H. and the Monster Engine
Girl Genius #3. A continuation of tht first 2.

[Bets O · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the books far more, and the story in the Graphic Novel is basically verbatim. It's interesting to see how the authors imagine all of the characters and clanks. Definitely different from my own brain.

The book was a 5🌟 read for me, however I didn't love the illustration style of the graphic novel (which is my own personal preference). This was basically like rereading the first book and I did catch on to some details I had missed the first time! I do love this series, I will just continue in book form.

[Ry Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and entertaining read. The artistic side of things sometimes wasn't quite up to snuff -- a number of the action sequences were confusing and hard to follow, and it was sometimes a little too heavy on the cheesecake (although I have to admit that is not exactly unexpected coming from the creator of XXXenophile.) But as a fan of Mad Science, this is a rich and character-filled world to dive into.

[Jessica O · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried, I really did, but there didn't seem to be any character development and the action kept shifting and shifting. I think I got about 1/3 of the way through before I was able to stop flipping back to the pages at the beginning of the book with character bios. It wasn't too long after that point that I finally gave up on the book all together. I wanted to like it, since I used to read and adore "What's New with Phil and Dixie" in Dragon, but I didn't.

[Judith Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl Genius is one of my favourite comic series, and this omnibus release of the first three volumes is absolutely gorgeous. It's a bit smaller (dimensions-wise) than the individual volumes released by Studio Foglio, but I prefer the hardcover format overall. It is sturdier, and you can open it fully without breaking the spine.

I really hope Tor continues releasing the series in these omnibus editions. I will cheerfully go out and buy them all.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoops, reviewed wrong edition. I read the first omnibus.

I like the story. It's funny and has clever moments. But the illustrations don't suit the age of the characters. It's distracting. I'll still seek out more volumes because I like the story, but come on, a teenaged scientist doesn't need to be booblicious to be a great hero.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so grateful that my friend handed me this book and told me I had to read it. I thoroughly enjoyed Agatha's story, and how competent she is. Also, if she has to sleepwalk, at least she has cute underwear in which to wake up. :)