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Cloud Town: A Graphic Novel
An exciting middle-grade graphic novel about best friends, giant robots, and monsters from another universe!In Dan McCloskey’s debut graphic novel, best friends Pen and Olive live in Cloud Town, an impoverished community on Floating Island, a mysterious landmass that drifts above the earth and happens to sit dangerously close to the Rip—a tear in the fabric of the universe. No big deal or anything.
While Pen is brash and brave, Olive is quiet, kind, and also fearful of bullies at school. That is, at least until the day they are nearly squashed by a Care Corp Storm Catcher, a giant android built to protect Cloud Town and the rest of Floating Island from Hurricanes, monsters that travel across the Rip. It isn’t the event itself that changes the girls’ relationship. It isn’t the fear of death that drives them apart, or the questionable decision-making that leads Pen to drag Olive into the cab of the crashed robot. It’s the fact that Olive can move the 90-foot-tall machine and Pen can’t. Care Corp recruits Olive to train as a pilot, so that she can protect Floating Island when the next attack comes. It’s a role reversal, for which neither of the girls are prepared.
McCloskey’s original art style shines in this wild adventure—it sets the tone for a story that is not only filled with fantastic monsters and mad science, but also the journey of two friends growing up and growing apart in a border town on the edge of the possible.
While Pen is brash and brave, Olive is quiet, kind, and also fearful of bullies at school. That is, at least until the day they are nearly squashed by a Care Corp Storm Catcher, a giant android built to protect Cloud Town and the rest of Floating Island from Hurricanes, monsters that travel across the Rip. It isn’t the event itself that changes the girls’ relationship. It isn’t the fear of death that drives them apart, or the questionable decision-making that leads Pen to drag Olive into the cab of the crashed robot. It’s the fact that Olive can move the 90-foot-tall machine and Pen can’t. Care Corp recruits Olive to train as a pilot, so that she can protect Floating Island when the next attack comes. It’s a role reversal, for which neither of the girls are prepared.
McCloskey’s original art style shines in this wild adventure—it sets the tone for a story that is not only filled with fantastic monsters and mad science, but also the journey of two friends growing up and growing apart in a border town on the edge of the possible.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2022
3 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Daniel McCloskey
15 books20 followersAt the age of 21, Dan founded the Cyberpunk Apocalypse writers’ project which housed 45 writers from across the US and Canada and hosted hundreds of literary events. By the time he was 25 his first novel, A Film About Billy was in print. At 26, he launched a monthly comic within weeks of knocking out his four front teeth. At 28, he distributed a free monthly comic in runs of 4,000 in Pittsburgh PA, and at 29 he sold the Cyberpunk Apocalypse and moved into a van so he could live and work in the same places as his cartoon characters.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 14, 2022
Speculative fiction with an interesting premise and rich setting, but unfortunately this didn't do it for me. The story was very chaotic and hard to follow. Even though I liked the artwork and minimal colour palette, they only added to the messiness of the book.
The upside is I appreciated how this graphic novel handles themes of bullying and loved seeing the main characters stand up to their bullies. Overall, I got the gist of the story but can't say I fully enjoyed it as the reading experience was lacking.
The upside is I appreciated how this graphic novel handles themes of bullying and loved seeing the main characters stand up to their bullies. Overall, I got the gist of the story but can't say I fully enjoyed it as the reading experience was lacking.
September 5, 2022
Story about best friends and giant robots. I really enjoyed the art, it was cute. Perfect for a middle grade comic. The story was a little wordy, but I still enjoyed it.
3 stars
3 stars
September 29, 2022
Such a unique and cool story. I loved the art, I loved the little creatures doing their own things in many of the panels. The story is an average friendship, finding your inner strength story, but the world building is fabulous, the art so interesting, all with great humor! So weird and unusual in a great way. It is rare for me to be really surprised by anything anymore but this book really did. One of my favorite books of 2022 so far.
This is an author to watch folks!
This is an author to watch folks!
May 31, 2022
Incredible first novel from a unique talent and artistic vision.
Quick summary: Olive and Penelope are from Cloud Town, but have had to go to school in the rich kids neighborhoods ever since their high school was destroyed by a 'Hurricane' (Kaiju from another dimension). The change had been rough on everyone-- Olive is getting bullied and Penelope's dad is having trouble making ends meet, meaning she has to find a job. But all that changes when the two have a chance encounter with a 'Storm Catcher' (Giant mechs that police the Kaiju). Could one of them have what it takes to be a Storm Catcher pilot?
I didn't know what to expect when I opened Cloud Town but I got a very sophisticated story set in a rich fantasy world with resonances to our own. The 'hurricanes' that buffet the poor people of the Floating Island represent any unstoppable destructive force that always manages to impact the less fortunate more severely. And, as in our world, there exists an elaborate industrial complex dedicated to studying and profiting from these natural disasters, but this system is largely indifferent to the suffering caused by the subject of their study and uninterested in solving the problem permanently. The storm catchers 'tag and bag' the hurricanes, and while they will seek to minimize collateral damage, there's never even a pretense made of closing the dimensional rift or making a permanent end to the destruction they cause.
Structurally, McCloskey weaves a complex narrative, jumping quickly between up to four different plot perspectives at once, displaying a lot of thought given to parallel plotting and pacing. I could easily see this story adapted to an animated or leave live action film, it hits all the right beats. Also it's got incredible comedic timing.
The art is rich with creative detail about the world, and shine most in the faces of the characters, especially in their reaction shots. The visual style is so variable and rich it allows for any kind of style reference, and McCloskey takes full advantage of that. The strongest panels, the ones with extreme emotion or powerful action, remind me of the fantastic Paul Pope.
What really hooked me about this book was the central relationship of the two main characters. Their friendship felt genuine, warts and all, and I was really impressed with the nuance of their respective character arcs. Cloud Town is about coming to terms with not getting the future you want, but growing and finding purpose in the life you have.
There are some hiccups in pacing, storytelling and visual style that you can usually attribute to growing pains in a cartoonist still growing into their style. There were a few moments where the storytelling wasn't as clear as it could have been, and I had to slow down to follow the plotting or blocking. Heavy variation in line width from page-to-page, and a gradual refinement in the character design as the book progresses. This is the kind of thing you see in early work of any comic artist, from Eiichiro Oda to Bill Watterson.
Overall I was hugely impressed, especially now, a day after having finished it, I find my mind returning to think about the characters of Cloud Town. Really looking forward to seeing whatever Dan comes up with next. Here's hoping it's a spin-off series about the dolphin twins!
Quick summary: Olive and Penelope are from Cloud Town, but have had to go to school in the rich kids neighborhoods ever since their high school was destroyed by a 'Hurricane' (Kaiju from another dimension). The change had been rough on everyone-- Olive is getting bullied and Penelope's dad is having trouble making ends meet, meaning she has to find a job. But all that changes when the two have a chance encounter with a 'Storm Catcher' (Giant mechs that police the Kaiju). Could one of them have what it takes to be a Storm Catcher pilot?
I didn't know what to expect when I opened Cloud Town but I got a very sophisticated story set in a rich fantasy world with resonances to our own. The 'hurricanes' that buffet the poor people of the Floating Island represent any unstoppable destructive force that always manages to impact the less fortunate more severely. And, as in our world, there exists an elaborate industrial complex dedicated to studying and profiting from these natural disasters, but this system is largely indifferent to the suffering caused by the subject of their study and uninterested in solving the problem permanently. The storm catchers 'tag and bag' the hurricanes, and while they will seek to minimize collateral damage, there's never even a pretense made of closing the dimensional rift or making a permanent end to the destruction they cause.
Structurally, McCloskey weaves a complex narrative, jumping quickly between up to four different plot perspectives at once, displaying a lot of thought given to parallel plotting and pacing. I could easily see this story adapted to an animated or leave live action film, it hits all the right beats. Also it's got incredible comedic timing.
The art is rich with creative detail about the world, and shine most in the faces of the characters, especially in their reaction shots. The visual style is so variable and rich it allows for any kind of style reference, and McCloskey takes full advantage of that. The strongest panels, the ones with extreme emotion or powerful action, remind me of the fantastic Paul Pope.
What really hooked me about this book was the central relationship of the two main characters. Their friendship felt genuine, warts and all, and I was really impressed with the nuance of their respective character arcs. Cloud Town is about coming to terms with not getting the future you want, but growing and finding purpose in the life you have.
There are some hiccups in pacing, storytelling and visual style that you can usually attribute to growing pains in a cartoonist still growing into their style. There were a few moments where the storytelling wasn't as clear as it could have been, and I had to slow down to follow the plotting or blocking. Heavy variation in line width from page-to-page, and a gradual refinement in the character design as the book progresses. This is the kind of thing you see in early work of any comic artist, from Eiichiro Oda to Bill Watterson.
Overall I was hugely impressed, especially now, a day after having finished it, I find my mind returning to think about the characters of Cloud Town. Really looking forward to seeing whatever Dan comes up with next. Here's hoping it's a spin-off series about the dolphin twins!
August 4, 2022
somehow i sat down just to start this book and like an hour later had powered through the whole thing!! the style here grabs you in the first page and doesn't let go, especially as characters skateboard and battle and carry little wrenches from panel to panel, leading you along with them. reminiscent of Bone to me, where the world here is complex and big but the story itself is really focused in on the characters and their experiences of these world-affecting plotlines they're foisted into. why did i finish this book just to wish for parts two and three and more?? cloud town, especially the high school scenes, is so rich and real that you come away with a true sense of place.
and, of course, all the PGH-specific shout-outs in the finer details were a joy. those calyx tattoos! nate dog in the cyberpunk house! i see you, easter eggs.
and, of course, all the PGH-specific shout-outs in the finer details were a joy. those calyx tattoos! nate dog in the cyberpunk house! i see you, easter eggs.
June 8, 2022
This is CHAOTIC! Kaiju/monster fights + mean girls bullying + mechas + threats of child protection services, etc. There’s a lot going on here.
Sometimes, panels feel a bit cluttered, but you can still figure out what’s going on. The humor’s supremely quirky and fun but gross (get a vomit bucket; it's everywhere). One highlight is when a character shoots literal daggers from her eyes haha. Pretty charming. Another thing I enjoyed was a twist that happened early on in the story.
I loved Pen(elope)’s confidence and brashness though I hated how she felt she had to always be the strong one. And her dad depended on her the most almost to a fault. I was also surprised to see she was black-ish(?) if the sleeping bonnet indicated anything.
Olive goes through the most character growth in this story. From a spineless wimp to a young girl just trying to figure things out. She doesn’t get it all right, but she tries. Their friendship was a bunch of fun to read.
The dolphin-brained boys were so stupid. So much fun. Just gold.
The climax had actual tension. When Olive’s parents were crying, I was about to cry too lol. Everything about the ending came together very well with all the loose ends.
I could see this working better as a cartoon. But I would read a sequel to this or another story set in this universe in a heartbeat.
Sometimes, panels feel a bit cluttered, but you can still figure out what’s going on. The humor’s supremely quirky and fun but gross (get a vomit bucket; it's everywhere). One highlight is when a character shoots literal daggers from her eyes haha. Pretty charming. Another thing I enjoyed was a twist that happened early on in the story.
I loved Pen(elope)’s confidence and brashness though I hated how she felt she had to always be the strong one. And her dad depended on her the most almost to a fault. I was also surprised to see she was black-ish(?) if the sleeping bonnet indicated anything.
Olive goes through the most character growth in this story. From a spineless wimp to a young girl just trying to figure things out. She doesn’t get it all right, but she tries. Their friendship was a bunch of fun to read.
The dolphin-brained boys were so stupid. So much fun. Just gold.
The climax had actual tension. When Olive’s parents were crying, I was about to cry too lol. Everything about the ending came together very well with all the loose ends.
I could see this working better as a cartoon. But I would read a sequel to this or another story set in this universe in a heartbeat.
June 9, 2022
Here's what Copacetic Comics, Pittsburgh, PA, had to say about Cloud Town…
"Hold onto your hats and get ready for 220 pages of non-stop, high-school-oriented, manga-inflected, duo-tone comics action!"
Here is another review....
"McCloskey’s debut graphic novel is a story of compatibility and divergence as two friends explore and adapt beyond the confines of their relationship and their own self-imposed limitations. . .Weirdly and unexpectedly wonderful." ―Kirkus Reviews
Since CLOUD TOWN's author Daniel McCloskey is my son, I promised not to add my own personal review. If you'd like to know what I really think, let me know. Ask for it at your local library
"Hold onto your hats and get ready for 220 pages of non-stop, high-school-oriented, manga-inflected, duo-tone comics action!"
Here is another review....
"McCloskey’s debut graphic novel is a story of compatibility and divergence as two friends explore and adapt beyond the confines of their relationship and their own self-imposed limitations. . .Weirdly and unexpectedly wonderful." ―Kirkus Reviews
Since CLOUD TOWN's author Daniel McCloskey is my son, I promised not to add my own personal review. If you'd like to know what I really think, let me know. Ask for it at your local library
June 3, 2022
Really fun graphic novel. I read the last 200 pages in one sitting. Basically, it has the same premise as the Pacific Rim movies except it's also about two adolescent girls and their teen drama. There is a whole cast of quirky, memorable characters. Parts of it are pretty funny. There's some great situational irony involving the school bullies. The plot is pretty straightforward, but it has enough twists and surprises to keep things interesting. I don't know that much about art, but the style is lively and reminds me of Crumb at times. Check it out.
September 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Three and a half stars.
Cloud Town is about two best friends, Pen and Olive, living in a poor community called Cloud Town on a floating island near a cosmic tear. When Olive displays an extraordinary ability to control a giant robot, she's recruited to protect their home from monsters, leading to a role reversal with the previously fearless Pen and a challenging test for both girls as they confront their new roles and their shifting relationship.
I have read some of the other reviews, and interestingly some of the things that other people seemed to not like about this I really did like. For example, the fact that this was quite wordy. I like a graphic novel that has a lot of story and words. I understand that they are mostly about the illustrations and how the illustrations tell a story. I do just think it really adds to a story when the words give us more information and context. Even if it is just dialogue. When it is mostly pictures, I can find it somewhat chaotic and even confusing at times. Another criticism I saw was that people thought this story was a bit chaotic. Honestly, I found it easy to follow and it really drew me in. I liked that it was fast paced and the story moved quickly. I did find it hard to make a connection to the characters, I thought they weren’t perhaps the most relatable ever. I did find this an interesting read overall, and the story was engaging.
Three and a half stars.
Cloud Town is about two best friends, Pen and Olive, living in a poor community called Cloud Town on a floating island near a cosmic tear. When Olive displays an extraordinary ability to control a giant robot, she's recruited to protect their home from monsters, leading to a role reversal with the previously fearless Pen and a challenging test for both girls as they confront their new roles and their shifting relationship.
I have read some of the other reviews, and interestingly some of the things that other people seemed to not like about this I really did like. For example, the fact that this was quite wordy. I like a graphic novel that has a lot of story and words. I understand that they are mostly about the illustrations and how the illustrations tell a story. I do just think it really adds to a story when the words give us more information and context. Even if it is just dialogue. When it is mostly pictures, I can find it somewhat chaotic and even confusing at times. Another criticism I saw was that people thought this story was a bit chaotic. Honestly, I found it easy to follow and it really drew me in. I liked that it was fast paced and the story moved quickly. I did find it hard to make a connection to the characters, I thought they weren’t perhaps the most relatable ever. I did find this an interesting read overall, and the story was engaging.
October 18, 2022
BFF's Pen and Olive have just started at a new school. Olive is being bullied mercilessly. Pen is very good at standing up to the bullies but she can't always be around and unfortunately, it actually makes things worse for Olive. They also live in a place where there are lots of hurricanes and they have giant robot machines called Storm Chasers to try to keep the hurricanes away from the town. Pen and Olive get involved in different ways with these storm chasers and it causes conflicts in their relationship.
The story line and the graphics are both very messy, chaotic, and difficult to figure out. The anti-bullying message is important but I'm not sure how many of my students will slog through to the conclusion.
The story line and the graphics are both very messy, chaotic, and difficult to figure out. The anti-bullying message is important but I'm not sure how many of my students will slog through to the conclusion.
October 11, 2024
Perfect for My Class
I teach a non-traditional English class. This book was just the right amount of humor, serious moral issues, and action to keep our attention the whole way through. Reading felt effortless. With books like this, my students will hopefully learn to love reading for the rest of their lives and even join book clubs. The author’s graphic novel biography was also an amazing read for us…very inspiring for my struggling students who love to draw. We’re ready for more!
I teach a non-traditional English class. This book was just the right amount of humor, serious moral issues, and action to keep our attention the whole way through. Reading felt effortless. With books like this, my students will hopefully learn to love reading for the rest of their lives and even join book clubs. The author’s graphic novel biography was also an amazing read for us…very inspiring for my struggling students who love to draw. We’re ready for more!
July 14, 2023
Crammed full of drama and emotion, plus detail in every corner! I loved the little slug people just living their lives around the edges of the panels.
August 8, 2022
Liked the story, but the artwork was really busy and a little overwhelming
November 8, 2022
Original and creative, but not Sequoyah material.
May 23, 2022
I was not a big fan of the art style in this graphic novel. The writing was original and interesting overall.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews