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Goblin #1
Goblin
Goblin
is a fantasy story about overcoming great odds and about finding light in even the darkest of places.
A young, headstrong goblin embarks on a wild journey of danger, loss, self-discovery, and sacrifice in this new graphic novel adventure.One fateful night a sinister human warrior raids the home of the young goblin Rikt and leaves him orphaned. Angry and alone, Rikt vows to avenge the death of his parents and seeks a way to destroy the man who did this. He finds aid from unlikely allies throughout his journey and learns of a secret power hidden in the heart of the First Tree. Will Rikt survive the trials that await him on his perilous journey to the First Tree? And is Rikt truly prepared for what he may find there? "A heartfelt fantasy yarn about finding light in a world filled with darkness. A really great spin on growing up and high fantasy."–Dave Scheidt (Mayor Good Boy, Star Wars, Avatar the Last Airbender) "Goblin is a massive journey of heartbreak and healing in a world so full, every chapter could fill an entire book!"–Marcus Emerson (Ben Braver, Kid Youtuber, Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja) "Grissom and Perkins have created my favorite kind of book. Chock full of strange monsters, big adventure, and a whole lot of heart. The perfect graphic novel for the entire family."–RaferRoberts (Grumble, Minecraft, Modern Fantasy) "Goblin is exactly what I look for in a fantasy story. Beautiful landscapes, curious creatures, and an adorable hero who rises to the challenge and happens to be a goblin!"–Claire Connelly (Black Eyes, Down with the Ship, The Long Year) "Rikt enjoins us to delight in his triumphs, wallow in his sorrows and take pleasure in the journey that lies ahead. Grissom and Perkins show that even the smallest of us can achieve great things."–Jeff McClelland (The Tick, Honcho, Black Terror)
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 8, 2021
17 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Eric Grissom
23 books23 followersEric Grissom's work includes the middle-grade fantasy graphic novel series GOBLIN with artist Will Perkins, the interactive middle-grade novel ON THE ISLAND OF THE MAD MAGICIAN, the strange mystery graphic novel DEADHORSE with artists Phil Sloan, David Halvorson, and Marissa Louise, and the mature graphic novella ANIMALS with artist Claire Connelly. Additionally, Eric is the author of the tabletop RPG BEWARE THE DARK SISTERHOOD.
Eric lives in New Jersey with his wife, three children, two dogs, and several Halloween animatronics in various states of repair.
Eric lives in New Jersey with his wife, three children, two dogs, and several Halloween animatronics in various states of repair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
August 13, 2021
There's nothing much original to it - just a basic Hero's Journey plot, going through the motions and doing the usual stuff. But I've always thought that originality is overrated, and there's nothing wrong about the tried-and-true path. You can still do good things with them. They're tried-and-true for a reason.
This one didn't quite pull it off, though, I don't think. It's probably the ending: it tried to build up to a lot of good stuff, terrible prophecy twists, fire and darkness, only to fall flat and do nothing with it and then just kind of drop the whole thing there. It came close to being good, but wasn't.
Likewise, it never did all that much with the main character being just a lowly goblin. There was a bit of him being hated in a town, and that's about it: I could have used more of the adversity, more of showing how his people have been trod upon, what everyone thinks of them. Another missed opportunity.
The art was all right, but I could never see past the main character's pointy nose. Maybe that's just me.
This one didn't quite pull it off, though, I don't think. It's probably the ending: it tried to build up to a lot of good stuff, terrible prophecy twists, fire and darkness, only to fall flat and do nothing with it and then just kind of drop the whole thing there. It came close to being good, but wasn't.
Likewise, it never did all that much with the main character being just a lowly goblin. There was a bit of him being hated in a town, and that's about it: I could have used more of the adversity, more of showing how his people have been trod upon, what everyone thinks of them. Another missed opportunity.
The art was all right, but I could never see past the main character's pointy nose. Maybe that's just me.
October 5, 2021
I liked this so much more than i thought i would.
November 8, 2021
Loved the art and the story was classic fantasy adventure, but I had trouble liking the main character. He was interesting and flawed, but a bit too selfish and casually cruel when he had no occasion to be, which made it hard for me to invest in his success.
June 15, 2021
*Book received in return for an honest review*
Video Review: https://youtu.be/6DfLOdqT7R4
Video Review: https://youtu.be/6DfLOdqT7R4
March 9, 2021
A Ripping Hero Quest
This didn't look very promising at first. Our young Goblin hero, Rikt, sets out to avenge the death of his parents, who were killed by a human adventurer. Nothing new happened during the opening to distinguish this from a standard young hero/revenge quest, apart from making a "cunning and patient" Goblin the young hero. Even the art didn't help - lots of green and brown and yellow characters in a green and brown forest, with plenty of shading and heavy ink.
As they say in the infomercials, though - "But wait! There's more." Rikt dashes off into the forest and is immediately conned and bamboozled by some faeries. They're creepy and drawn ugly, so I really hoped we wouldn't end up with a faerie sidekick. Again, not to worry. We encounter the Goddess of the forest, and she is truly well conceived and well drawn and is a commanding figure. She hands out a quest and some vague instructions, and this is when Rikt's adventure takes shape and takes off.
We know that the book will have to end with some sort of resolution regarding the human villain, but the larger share of the book is composed of mini-adventures, sidetracks, incidents and events. Rikt comes across some itinerant traders and leaves with a new sidekick. Rikt has to outsmart a dumb but slyly funny minotaur in an underground lair. Rikt has to explore a strange, deserted city. And so on, with subtle connections that keep the tale moving forward. Is it all a bit like a video game quest? Well, I guess so. Except the writing is sharp, the dialogue is crisp, the plotting is deft, and Rikt develops as an engaging and appealing character. The art opens up and moves to a wider color palette in order to embrace the story and there are many impressive splash pages and some funky sort of abstract scene setting. The artist draws a lot of clear expression out of the Goblin character, and effectively illustrates the action and developments in the tale.
So this ended up being better written, better drawn, and more intriguing and satisfying than I ever expected. And isn't that a nice thing to be able to say?
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This didn't look very promising at first. Our young Goblin hero, Rikt, sets out to avenge the death of his parents, who were killed by a human adventurer. Nothing new happened during the opening to distinguish this from a standard young hero/revenge quest, apart from making a "cunning and patient" Goblin the young hero. Even the art didn't help - lots of green and brown and yellow characters in a green and brown forest, with plenty of shading and heavy ink.
As they say in the infomercials, though - "But wait! There's more." Rikt dashes off into the forest and is immediately conned and bamboozled by some faeries. They're creepy and drawn ugly, so I really hoped we wouldn't end up with a faerie sidekick. Again, not to worry. We encounter the Goddess of the forest, and she is truly well conceived and well drawn and is a commanding figure. She hands out a quest and some vague instructions, and this is when Rikt's adventure takes shape and takes off.
We know that the book will have to end with some sort of resolution regarding the human villain, but the larger share of the book is composed of mini-adventures, sidetracks, incidents and events. Rikt comes across some itinerant traders and leaves with a new sidekick. Rikt has to outsmart a dumb but slyly funny minotaur in an underground lair. Rikt has to explore a strange, deserted city. And so on, with subtle connections that keep the tale moving forward. Is it all a bit like a video game quest? Well, I guess so. Except the writing is sharp, the dialogue is crisp, the plotting is deft, and Rikt develops as an engaging and appealing character. The art opens up and moves to a wider color palette in order to embrace the story and there are many impressive splash pages and some funky sort of abstract scene setting. The artist draws a lot of clear expression out of the Goblin character, and effectively illustrates the action and developments in the tale.
So this ended up being better written, better drawn, and more intriguing and satisfying than I ever expected. And isn't that a nice thing to be able to say?
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
May 30, 2021
I don't know if there is an original idea anywhere in this book. A hero's parents are killed. They swear revenge. They are shown the carnage that will transpire if they seek their revenge, but they must seek their revenge. But along the way they experience adventures that make them reseek their purpose.
You can hang a fascinating story on that flimsy premise. You can build out a unique world, you can create dazzling dialogue and character development that tweak fantasy tropes and invigorate the genre.
Or you can just write what is, essentially, the basis for 80% of 20th century Disney films and call it a day.
That's what this book felt like to me. I was given no reason to care for the main character other than he reminds me of other characters I grew to care about in better-written stories. He wasn't likable, he wasn't an anti-hero, he just sort of existed as a prototypical protagonist in a archetypal fantasy story.
I hope other readers find more to enjoy from this title than I did.
You can hang a fascinating story on that flimsy premise. You can build out a unique world, you can create dazzling dialogue and character development that tweak fantasy tropes and invigorate the genre.
Or you can just write what is, essentially, the basis for 80% of 20th century Disney films and call it a day.
That's what this book felt like to me. I was given no reason to care for the main character other than he reminds me of other characters I grew to care about in better-written stories. He wasn't likable, he wasn't an anti-hero, he just sort of existed as a prototypical protagonist in a archetypal fantasy story.
I hope other readers find more to enjoy from this title than I did.
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June 17, 2021Thank you to the author for providing me with Goblin in exchange for my honest opinion. Goblin is available for purchase now.
Masterfully told and beautifully illustrated, Goblin is an unforgettable journey, full of both action and heart. The story follows Rikt, a goblin who tragically loses his parents. He vows revenge on the human who killed them. What follows is an adventure of epic proportions as he searches for the means to avenge his parents.
First of all, Rikt is a wonderful main character! He’s adorable with a young innocence about him that he slowly loses after the death of his parents. I grieved a little for the loss of his naiveté, although it was replaced with a thoughtful goblin, full of both hurt and heart. Author Eric Grissom’s portrayal of this little goblin as having such big emotions was astounding. I don’t know how he did it, but I absolutely loved it.
As Rikt travels, he interacts with other creatures, and faces all sorts of challenges. The biggest challenge he faces, though, is the hurdle of who he will become after experiencing such loss at such a young age. Will he let his anger drive who he becomes? Will it be a “despite” or a “because”? Each choice he makes shapes him in ways both surprising and touching.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention how much artist Will Perkins adds to the story. Just look at that cover. The art is absolutely gorgeous. Yes, he made a graphic novel with a goblin in it look gorgeous. These are some of the best illustrations I’ve seen in a good long while. Rikt’s personality shone through in how animated his facial expressions were. The pairing of the fantastic storyline and the beautiful art combined to form the perfect whole.
So: who should read Goblin? Simply put, everyone. If you want a tale of love, loss, and finding oneself, this is for you. If you want beautiful artwork, this is for you. If you want a fantasy adventure with a little bit of humor and action, and a whole lot of heart, this is for you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
Masterfully told and beautifully illustrated, Goblin is an unforgettable journey, full of both action and heart. The story follows Rikt, a goblin who tragically loses his parents. He vows revenge on the human who killed them. What follows is an adventure of epic proportions as he searches for the means to avenge his parents.
First of all, Rikt is a wonderful main character! He’s adorable with a young innocence about him that he slowly loses after the death of his parents. I grieved a little for the loss of his naiveté, although it was replaced with a thoughtful goblin, full of both hurt and heart. Author Eric Grissom’s portrayal of this little goblin as having such big emotions was astounding. I don’t know how he did it, but I absolutely loved it.
As Rikt travels, he interacts with other creatures, and faces all sorts of challenges. The biggest challenge he faces, though, is the hurdle of who he will become after experiencing such loss at such a young age. Will he let his anger drive who he becomes? Will it be a “despite” or a “because”? Each choice he makes shapes him in ways both surprising and touching.
I would be remiss if I failed to mention how much artist Will Perkins adds to the story. Just look at that cover. The art is absolutely gorgeous. Yes, he made a graphic novel with a goblin in it look gorgeous. These are some of the best illustrations I’ve seen in a good long while. Rikt’s personality shone through in how animated his facial expressions were. The pairing of the fantastic storyline and the beautiful art combined to form the perfect whole.
So: who should read Goblin? Simply put, everyone. If you want a tale of love, loss, and finding oneself, this is for you. If you want beautiful artwork, this is for you. If you want a fantasy adventure with a little bit of humor and action, and a whole lot of heart, this is for you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
August 16, 2021
Liked the artstyle and the art sequence. The dialogue presentation is good.
However, I need a strong plot as much as intense as it seems to be.
However, I need a strong plot as much as intense as it seems to be.
May 28, 2021
A very cute and engaging coming of age story about a brave goblin boy and his dog. The art is lovely and the dialogue excellent.
April 9, 2025
A cute idea but a story that never really got off the ground, and was definitely written by guys. They don’t mind being gross. The characters are overall pretty flat, and the story makes little cohesive sense, other than attempting to be meaningful. The world is vague at best.
I really wanted the goblin to make friends with a young human boy or girl and join forces, but instead he wonders around a bleak (and mostly empty) world with scattered ugly people who shout “monster!”
The huge time-change at the end felt like it was thrown in to conveniently move the story along, skip past seeing the frog-people again, and grow the dog (or wolf) up enough so the goblin could ride it. Speaking of the dog, (endearingly named Fish-breath—*wince) it was really the only cute part of the book, and even it felt like it was added in solely because characters need animal sidekicks.
It definitely felt like the book could be the start of a longer, better, and deeper story, and I see there’s a sequel. Maybe it’s better.
I really wanted the goblin to make friends with a young human boy or girl and join forces, but instead he wonders around a bleak (and mostly empty) world with scattered ugly people who shout “monster!”
The huge time-change at the end felt like it was thrown in to conveniently move the story along, skip past seeing the frog-people again, and grow the dog (or wolf) up enough so the goblin could ride it. Speaking of the dog, (endearingly named Fish-breath—*wince) it was really the only cute part of the book, and even it felt like it was added in solely because characters need animal sidekicks.
It definitely felt like the book could be the start of a longer, better, and deeper story, and I see there’s a sequel. Maybe it’s better.
June 9, 2021
A lovely story, filled with adventure, tragedy, and heartwarming moments! I also really loved the art in this book. I thought about giving it 4 stars instead of 5, just because there were a few panels where the action was unclear to me and it pulled me out of the story a bit. But there’s a solid chance that was just me being dumb, and overall I really enjoyed it, so 5 it is!
March 2, 2021
Marking this as spoilers because I got too impatient and read this ARC out of publication date order. But you should get this book if you like fantasy!
I loved this book! When I get access to galley copies I’m usually very good about reading them in publication date order but I was weak and skipped ahead for this one. I’m so glad that I did!
Goblins are usually the faceless nameless monsters the heroes slaughtered by the truckload. This book brings a goblin to life and makes him a person. If you’re a sentimental sort you might want to read with a Kleenex to hand. As a DM who laid a complete guilt trip on my party of good aligned characters for not letting the non combatants flee when they took out a goblin village this story was absolutely right up my alley! I highly recommend to any fantasy fan or gamer of any age. Don’t worry about it being marketed to kids if you’re an adult. Read it anyway.
I loved this book! When I get access to galley copies I’m usually very good about reading them in publication date order but I was weak and skipped ahead for this one. I’m so glad that I did!
Goblins are usually the faceless nameless monsters the heroes slaughtered by the truckload. This book brings a goblin to life and makes him a person. If you’re a sentimental sort you might want to read with a Kleenex to hand. As a DM who laid a complete guilt trip on my party of good aligned characters for not letting the non combatants flee when they took out a goblin village this story was absolutely right up my alley! I highly recommend to any fantasy fan or gamer of any age. Don’t worry about it being marketed to kids if you’re an adult. Read it anyway.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
March 25, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
April 6, 2022
Pomerne tuctový príbeh hrdinu, ktorý ide za pomstou a na ceste nájde sám seba. Okorenené faktom, že ide o goblina a tiež parádnou grafikou a niekoľkými zaujímavými konceptmi (napríklad žabí ľudia, prekliaty minotaur, živý strom). Každá kapitola je pritom ako klasická misia v akejkoľvek počítačovej hre, na konci ktorej hrdina niečo získava. Ako balíček je to celkom slušivé a funguje to. Kde je teda problém? Problém je v tom, že každá kapitola by vydala pokojne na samostatnú novelu. V tomto stručnom podarí sa však tie posolstvá akosi strácajú a po dočítaní ostane pachuť a nezodpovedaná otázka, či je toto fakt všetko, čo tento komiks ponúka. Bohužiaľ je.
October 28, 2024
Beautiful artwork! I especially loved the nature-themed drawings (no spoilers). Some people have said it was "just a classic hero story" but I beg to differ. It has an overarching theme of connecting with the Earth, it subtly talks about how people shouldn't call things by the wrong names (a great lesson for all readers and learners), it discusses grief and how friendship can be a type of replacement for family. A beautiful story. Love it. Can't recommend it enough!
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July 9, 2021Thank you to the author for sharing a copy with #bookexpedition.
Goblin is a fantasy graphic novel that tells the story of Rikt, a young goblin whose home is raided by a sinister warrior. The warrior’s actions leave Rikt an orphan, who is now angry and alone, and he vows to avenge his parents’ death.
On his journey, Rikt must grow up quickly as he undergoes many trials, overcomes great odds, and learns to find the light within.
The comic panels were highly detailed, matching the mood of the story. I also liked the positive spin of seeing a goblin (typically viewed as a villain) in the hero role of the story.
Out now.
Goblin is a fantasy graphic novel that tells the story of Rikt, a young goblin whose home is raided by a sinister warrior. The warrior’s actions leave Rikt an orphan, who is now angry and alone, and he vows to avenge his parents’ death.
On his journey, Rikt must grow up quickly as he undergoes many trials, overcomes great odds, and learns to find the light within.
The comic panels were highly detailed, matching the mood of the story. I also liked the positive spin of seeing a goblin (typically viewed as a villain) in the hero role of the story.
Out now.
October 31, 2021
This is a new, refreshing viewpoint--not your usual human hero. Here, we have a young goblin whose parents are brutally murdered, who goes on a quest to restore his weapon at the First Tree and revenge their deaths, and who learns many things about himself and the world on his way.
May 8, 2022
This is a perfectly acceptable middle-grade fantasy story. I like the turn about of centering the traditional monster as the hero, as well as the interesting takes on the reality behind the tropes of fantasy tales.
June 22, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this. Beautiful art, and a well-crafted, well-told story. I like the turn about of centering the traditional monster as the hero, as well as the interesting takes on the reality behind the tropes of fantasy tales. Recommended.
July 24, 2021
A simple, delightful, and a soul searching story.
I saw an ad for this some time ago and was finally able to get it. I'm so glad I did. This tale is beautifully illustrated and is a wonderful story. Give it a read!
I saw an ad for this some time ago and was finally able to get it. I'm so glad I did. This tale is beautifully illustrated and is a wonderful story. Give it a read!
October 13, 2022
Beautiful artwork and interesting characters with a fairly standard plot. Fun, quick read.
June 28, 2023
A journey. There and back again.
April 12, 2025
A very basic hero's journey story told with our MC Goblin. Its cute and easy to read but not ground breaking. I feel like this would be a great comic to introduce kids to fantasy and creatures. Its simple and to the point. Just a hero trying to avenge his parents.
June 21, 2021
I have been reading this with my 9 year old daughter and 4 year old son daily. They (and I) love the story and don't want the reading sessions to end. The artwork is beautiful and the story line is gripping. Highly recommend this to anyone of any age.
August 14, 2023
A cute and silly graphic novel, adventurous and lovable main character.
October 19, 2024
Oh such a cozy read!!
You follow the story of Rikt finding his true self going on a quest after their parents are dead.
Then Rikt finds a wolf that they called "Fish breath" and they start to love them.
Its such a lovely graphic novel about revenge, seeking your path, finding friends
You follow the story of Rikt finding his true self going on a quest after their parents are dead.
Then Rikt finds a wolf that they called "Fish breath" and they start to love them.
Its such a lovely graphic novel about revenge, seeking your path, finding friends
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2024
The first time I saw the books was in Barnes & Noble and got a chance to meet with one of the amazing writers,Will Perkins. I have always been a fan of comic books so when I heard what the story was about, I immediately got both of the books and read them in a heartbeat! I couldn’t put the books down. It was a very enjoyable read all along, and I really really recommend the books. Can’t wait to read more about the adventures!
June 2, 2021
I don't typically read graphic novels but this one feels like it was written just for me! It follows the classic hero's journey archetype and nods to so many iconic scenes from the epic fantasy books/movies of my nerdy millennial childhood, and yet, Goblin manages to deliver a brand new heartfelt tale that's as fresh as it is familiar. It's so endearing and fun and uplifting and light... I really needed this coming out of the pandemic. I highly recommend Goblin for kids and big kids alike.
May 30, 2021
This brought me right back to my childhood, when masters like Henson were weaving fantasy tales that were just as enjoyable for adults as they were for kids. This isn't Snyder-style "if it's dark, it must be deep" nonsense either. It's the sort of adventure that reminds you just how rich a fantasy world can be, if only we look beyond what's usually considered important. It brought me right back to favorites like The Dark Crystal, Neverending Story, and The Labyrinth.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews