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Phenomena #1
Phenomena, Vol. 1: The Golden City of Eyes
Brian Michael Bendis (co-creator of Miles Morales, Jessica Jones, and Naomi) and André Lima Araújo ( A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance ) bring you Phenomena, a brand-new fantasy adventure series starting with The Golden City of Eyes
“Everyone tells you . . . you’re going to see something you’ve never seen before. That’s what everyone said. Who doesn’t want to see something they’ve never seen?”
Phenomena is the story of a young boy named Boldon and his warrior friend Spike—survivors of a phenomena that took over Earth years ago. Not an apocalypse . . . something far more interesting. We follow Boldon and Spike as they are forced to team up with another lost orphan of the world, Matilde. The trio of heroes go on a globetrotting adventure that takes them to a magical, mysterious place called the Golden City of Eyes.
As they quest across this epically crazy new world looking for answers and purpose, they face off against dark forces big and small, changing the world better along the way. In each book in the series, our heroes travel to different parts of the magical world of Phenomena by various modes of transportation, each more and more fantastical than the mode that preceded it. Each journey is personal, and every chapter takes the trio toward a different, visually iconic destination, and each location, character, and chapter reveals clues to the shape of the world and how they got there—and, ultimately, their purpose.
With Phenomena , Brian Michael Bendis and André Lima Araújo deliver a universe chock full of unforgettable characters, full-tilt action, and stunning imagination and world-building that is perfect for fans of The Last Airbender .
“Everyone tells you . . . you’re going to see something you’ve never seen before. That’s what everyone said. Who doesn’t want to see something they’ve never seen?”
Phenomena is the story of a young boy named Boldon and his warrior friend Spike—survivors of a phenomena that took over Earth years ago. Not an apocalypse . . . something far more interesting. We follow Boldon and Spike as they are forced to team up with another lost orphan of the world, Matilde. The trio of heroes go on a globetrotting adventure that takes them to a magical, mysterious place called the Golden City of Eyes.
As they quest across this epically crazy new world looking for answers and purpose, they face off against dark forces big and small, changing the world better along the way. In each book in the series, our heroes travel to different parts of the magical world of Phenomena by various modes of transportation, each more and more fantastical than the mode that preceded it. Each journey is personal, and every chapter takes the trio toward a different, visually iconic destination, and each location, character, and chapter reveals clues to the shape of the world and how they got there—and, ultimately, their purpose.
With Phenomena , Brian Michael Bendis and André Lima Araújo deliver a universe chock full of unforgettable characters, full-tilt action, and stunning imagination and world-building that is perfect for fans of The Last Airbender .
144 pages, Hardcover
Published September 13, 2022
7 people are currently reading
4464 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,419 books2,570 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 15, 2022
Phenomena is an example of a creator-owned series that desperately needed an editor. All of Bendis' worst quirks are on display. The dialogue is atrocious and nigh-unreadable. Characters speak in dialects, cut each other off, and never actually address what's going on. And what is going on? I have no idea.
There's a golden city that maybe arrived on Earth and transformed the world in weird ways? And a trio of characters are trying to get back to that golden city to...do something. There's very little cohesion to what's going on. Characters arrive at places, are asked for stories as payment, then meet someone to fight.
The fight scenes are great to look at. Andre Lima Araujo's artwork is pretty swell - extreme detail matched with explosive creativity. It's also uncolored, which might stem from that whole creator-owned thing - couldn't afford a colorist? In any case, the fine artwork is unfortunately matched to Bendis' nonsense story and is not nearly strong enough to pull this thing together. Absolutely not a recommended read.
There's a golden city that maybe arrived on Earth and transformed the world in weird ways? And a trio of characters are trying to get back to that golden city to...do something. There's very little cohesion to what's going on. Characters arrive at places, are asked for stories as payment, then meet someone to fight.
The fight scenes are great to look at. Andre Lima Araujo's artwork is pretty swell - extreme detail matched with explosive creativity. It's also uncolored, which might stem from that whole creator-owned thing - couldn't afford a colorist? In any case, the fine artwork is unfortunately matched to Bendis' nonsense story and is not nearly strong enough to pull this thing together. Absolutely not a recommended read.
December 29, 2022
My impression: Artist draws a Moebius homage with some characters walking around taking in vistas and fighting monsters. Writer drops a bunch of banter and bickering over the art to distract from how little sense it makes.
Boring Euro sci-fi fantasy knockoff.
Boring Euro sci-fi fantasy knockoff.
April 18, 2023
DNF after one issue.
Beautiful line art just begging for a vibrant colour palette to give these sweeping scenes some depth and personality. Very disappointing.
Beautiful line art just begging for a vibrant colour palette to give these sweeping scenes some depth and personality. Very disappointing.
Read
March 18, 2024 Phenomena has unphenomenal dialogue. And if you ever get to reading this you’ll realize that’s the phenomena.
Dialogue aside, and it’s hard to do that. Really. The art immediately reminds me of Japanese manga, I’m likely saying this because the whole comic comes in black and white. The style’s unmistakably western. And so, it’s just a vehicle for exploring wild ideas in sci-fi which just so happens to be the theme here. It’s like an attempt at creating one’s own Dark Crystal. Without puppets. Or anything that would make your version distinctly unique.
One could look at Phenomena and call it unique. I’d agree. It’s also a mess. The sticky kind.
Still, it’s not all bad. I wouldn’t keep myself from recommending this to someone new to comics. I’d give them a fair warning about the dialogue, and I think if they like action and big monsters, y’know the tropey stuff, they’ll get satisfaction.
Dialogue aside, and it’s hard to do that. Really. The art immediately reminds me of Japanese manga, I’m likely saying this because the whole comic comes in black and white. The style’s unmistakably western. And so, it’s just a vehicle for exploring wild ideas in sci-fi which just so happens to be the theme here. It’s like an attempt at creating one’s own Dark Crystal. Without puppets. Or anything that would make your version distinctly unique.
One could look at Phenomena and call it unique. I’d agree. It’s also a mess. The sticky kind.
Still, it’s not all bad. I wouldn’t keep myself from recommending this to someone new to comics. I’d give them a fair warning about the dialogue, and I think if they like action and big monsters, y’know the tropey stuff, they’ll get satisfaction.
January 22, 2023
The artwork doesn’t have colour but is gorgeous, and you’d think I wouldn’t care much was happening with that kind of quality… but the dialogue especially is really bland and the world building basically doesn’t exist. So, it pretty much ends up being banter and then they need to fight something and then they appreciate each other, which becomes the formula every chapter. It’s fine, not great, and pretty forgettable, unfortunately.
April 9, 2024
This is definitely out of my wheelhouse, but I genuinely enjoyed the art. The characters and world were so interesting, but the overall plot was lost on me. There were some parts that felt rushed and others slow. I am going to try a reread and see if it helps me digest the overall tone a bit better.
August 22, 2023
Phenomena. Una historia amb una trama extranya però emocionant, interessant i divertida, on tres individus, a contracor viuran una inesperada aventura i acabaran salvant una ciutat.
July 7, 2025
Interesting start
I liked this. I'd read anything that brian Michael Bendis writes. I wouldn't call this my favorite but it was fun.
I liked this. I'd read anything that brian Michael Bendis writes. I wouldn't call this my favorite but it was fun.
September 19, 2024
(3.3) Intriguing and entertaining but the story was really choppy. Things aren’t explained enough but you actually can go with it. I love the world and the design, the art outpaces the story. Looking forward to reading Vol 2.
Read
April 1, 2024Brian Michael Bendis is responsible for helping to create some of the best comic characters in recent years, including Jessica Jones and Miles Morales. I enjoy his work and was thrilled when I had the chance to read and review Phenomena: Vol. 1 ahead of the release of Vol. 2. I admittedly hadn't really heard of this title, and I'm a bit upset that I somehow allowed it to fly under my radar. It's not one of my favorites of Bendis', and I'm not quite sure what star rating I would give it, but I did enjoy it overall.
The story follows a young kid named Boldon as he goes on the hunt for the Golden City. Early on in his journey, he stumbles upon a Cyper named Spike, and a mysterious character that seems keen to cause the duo plenty of trouble. The story is at times ridiculous, and other times, utterly charming, and yet, it manages to be an enjoyable ride despite its bumps. Boldon and Spike are great together; Boldon is reckless and Cyper is very much all business, no play. The addition of the mysterious character - who I'm not naming as to avoid spoilers - proves to be a great addition, too. They play well off of the two main characters and help to add more depth to the story.
Phenomena: Vol. 1 is under a hundred and fifty pages, and yet, despite its short length, the story doesn't always feel as though it's fast-moving. This is, naturally, due to having to set up this world and its history and workings. But there's still plenty to be established in this world, and by the end of the first volume, readers are sure to have more questions than answers. Something that should, hopefully, be tackled in the next installment now that the world has been established.
One of the main issues in the book is the artwork inside of it. The artwork is well done - André Lima Araújo has crafted some fantastic linework in this graphic novel. However, the lack of color does make it difficult to really appreciate the story being told as a whole. Normally, I don't mind when a graphic novel is in black and white. In fact, sometimes it does serve the story better. In this instance, though, the lack of coloring seems to work against the story. The shading isn't all that defined. And honestly, it makes it hard to get captivated by the story in the end. There are battles that are hard to follow. The locations seem to be lifeless and bland. If there was even a slight pop of color, or perhaps even more defined shading, this book could be perfect.
Overall: I'd definitely recommend giving this one a read. It's short. It's fun. And Spike is a great character.
The story follows a young kid named Boldon as he goes on the hunt for the Golden City. Early on in his journey, he stumbles upon a Cyper named Spike, and a mysterious character that seems keen to cause the duo plenty of trouble. The story is at times ridiculous, and other times, utterly charming, and yet, it manages to be an enjoyable ride despite its bumps. Boldon and Spike are great together; Boldon is reckless and Cyper is very much all business, no play. The addition of the mysterious character - who I'm not naming as to avoid spoilers - proves to be a great addition, too. They play well off of the two main characters and help to add more depth to the story.
Phenomena: Vol. 1 is under a hundred and fifty pages, and yet, despite its short length, the story doesn't always feel as though it's fast-moving. This is, naturally, due to having to set up this world and its history and workings. But there's still plenty to be established in this world, and by the end of the first volume, readers are sure to have more questions than answers. Something that should, hopefully, be tackled in the next installment now that the world has been established.
One of the main issues in the book is the artwork inside of it. The artwork is well done - André Lima Araújo has crafted some fantastic linework in this graphic novel. However, the lack of color does make it difficult to really appreciate the story being told as a whole. Normally, I don't mind when a graphic novel is in black and white. In fact, sometimes it does serve the story better. In this instance, though, the lack of coloring seems to work against the story. The shading isn't all that defined. And honestly, it makes it hard to get captivated by the story in the end. There are battles that are hard to follow. The locations seem to be lifeless and bland. If there was even a slight pop of color, or perhaps even more defined shading, this book could be perfect.
Overall: I'd definitely recommend giving this one a read. It's short. It's fun. And Spike is a great character.
July 22, 2024
It's a weird world. Something happened some time ago that changed everything, an alteration somewhere at the quantum molecular level, and nobody can pinpoint what or how it changed, it just did. And we're okay with it. Well, some of us, anyway.
But things aren't quite right, and we all sense it.
And, yes, I am making a thinly-veiled reference to our American political atmosphere, in which everybody hates everybody and people are shooting up rallies while normally good-natured people laugh and joke about how they wish the shooter hadn't missed, as if that is a perfectly okay---or even normal---thing to say. It's like a cognitive dissonance on a global level.
Then, today, it's announced that our current sitting president is stepping down and removing himself from the presidential campaign, mainly, it seems, because George Fucking Clooney (I don't think that's his middle name, but I also don't care) asked him to do so. 'Cause... George Fucking Clooney, I guess.
Weird world.
Anyway, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist André Lima Araújo have collaborated on the graphic novel series Phenomena, which is about a future world in which Something Happened and made everything weird. That's about the extent of the explanation you're going to get, at least in Volume 1, "The Golden City of Eyes".
Let me just say from the outset that there is basically no real plot to this, but it doesn't matter. What matters is Araujo's beautiful artwork, which is in black and white (and, yes, I love black and white artwork), and is also a wonderful homage to classic sci-fi comic book artists such as Moebius (of which there are more than a few visual nods scattered throughout.)
The story doesn't make a lick of sense, but it's nonetheless written with Bendis's sense of humor.
I enjoyed this probably far more than it deserves. Definitely worth it for the artwork, though.
But things aren't quite right, and we all sense it.
And, yes, I am making a thinly-veiled reference to our American political atmosphere, in which everybody hates everybody and people are shooting up rallies while normally good-natured people laugh and joke about how they wish the shooter hadn't missed, as if that is a perfectly okay---or even normal---thing to say. It's like a cognitive dissonance on a global level.
Then, today, it's announced that our current sitting president is stepping down and removing himself from the presidential campaign, mainly, it seems, because George Fucking Clooney (I don't think that's his middle name, but I also don't care) asked him to do so. 'Cause... George Fucking Clooney, I guess.
Weird world.
Anyway, writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist André Lima Araújo have collaborated on the graphic novel series Phenomena, which is about a future world in which Something Happened and made everything weird. That's about the extent of the explanation you're going to get, at least in Volume 1, "The Golden City of Eyes".
Let me just say from the outset that there is basically no real plot to this, but it doesn't matter. What matters is Araujo's beautiful artwork, which is in black and white (and, yes, I love black and white artwork), and is also a wonderful homage to classic sci-fi comic book artists such as Moebius (of which there are more than a few visual nods scattered throughout.)
The story doesn't make a lick of sense, but it's nonetheless written with Bendis's sense of humor.
I enjoyed this probably far more than it deserves. Definitely worth it for the artwork, though.
April 28, 2024
Okay, first off:
Why are people complaining how the art is black and white? I’m a manga reader at heart, so maybe it’s just me— I personally am used to b&w art though? And I understand western comics are usually fully colored, but still. It’s not that much of a turn-off, is it? 😭
Also, y’all people were RIGHT. This book seriously needs an editor. I’m still confused how characters went from saying “you” to “yer” and “ya” with no reason to why. Like if you’re trying to make a dialect, make it make sense. Don’t switch up their languages towards the last chapters. And there were definitely some parts that seemed like typos too (for example, “we would we honored”) like I’m genuinely confused if those were typos or just part of the dialects?? Not to mention the speech bubbles and their purposes. Like Matilde saying “gimme my blade back” which clearly did not make sense and you’ll know this if you’re reading this currently but also maybe it did because maybe she was saying it to distract the monster? Again, major confusion here.
Overall. This book fr needed an editor. I don’t know why things were worded the way they were and if they were even intentional or actual typos but whatever the reason, readers were confused. And y’all can tell that by the reviews. Im clearly not the only one confused by alll of this… I’m still leaving 2 stars though because the art is so good and def did not deserve this horrible writing (no offense to bendis because I love his other work, no idea what went wrong here though) Again, this is all very confusing to me.
Thanks to Shelf Awareness and Abrams ComicArts for hosting the hardcover copy giveaway. I thought this was an ARC for some reason but it wasn’t. Ah well, we all make mistakes. Like reading this book 💀
Why are people complaining how the art is black and white? I’m a manga reader at heart, so maybe it’s just me— I personally am used to b&w art though? And I understand western comics are usually fully colored, but still. It’s not that much of a turn-off, is it? 😭
Also, y’all people were RIGHT. This book seriously needs an editor. I’m still confused how characters went from saying “you” to “yer” and “ya” with no reason to why. Like if you’re trying to make a dialect, make it make sense. Don’t switch up their languages towards the last chapters. And there were definitely some parts that seemed like typos too (for example, “we would we honored”) like I’m genuinely confused if those were typos or just part of the dialects?? Not to mention the speech bubbles and their purposes. Like Matilde saying “gimme my blade back” which clearly did not make sense and you’ll know this if you’re reading this currently but also maybe it did because maybe she was saying it to distract the monster? Again, major confusion here.
Overall. This book fr needed an editor. I don’t know why things were worded the way they were and if they were even intentional or actual typos but whatever the reason, readers were confused. And y’all can tell that by the reviews. Im clearly not the only one confused by alll of this… I’m still leaving 2 stars though because the art is so good and def did not deserve this horrible writing (no offense to bendis because I love his other work, no idea what went wrong here though) Again, this is all very confusing to me.
Thanks to Shelf Awareness and Abrams ComicArts for hosting the hardcover copy giveaway. I thought this was an ARC for some reason but it wasn’t. Ah well, we all make mistakes. Like reading this book 💀
January 10, 2023
The overall quality of the book itself was amazing. The pages were laminated and glossy, indicating it was high quality in its design/layout/structure. The art style was incredible and unique!!! The reason why I rated 4 stars instead of 5, is because I was left feeling lost, personally, while reading this novel. The plot left me confused on what was happening throughout the novel, some parts/passages left me more confused than others. This could be the case because if this book was translated from another language, some of the words/dialogue could have been "lost in translation". There was a ton of action and fighting scenes, but sometimes it felt rushed. Overall, this was a beautifully illustrated graphic novel, and the plot it's self is very interesting but it left me feeling confused sometimes. Hopefully the second book will help fill in the blanks, and help deepen and expand the plot.
June 7, 2025
I learned of Phenomena a couple years ago and have been looking forward to reading this ever since. I finally picked up a copy and read it. I really enjoy this futuristic look at earth that changed based on something called Phenomena. The story doesn't really delve into what it is exactly, but it appears the world is now populated by a bunch of different alien lifeforms in addition to earth inhabitants with large standing cities that have appeared. It is also a world where it looks like stories can be used as a form of currency.
I like the art. It was great. I was a little sad that it wasn't full color, but that doesn't take away how good it still is. The writing is awesome, but I wasn't surprised by that. Brian Michael Bendis has been one of my favorite comics and graphic novel writers for sometime now. He was one of the reasons I decided to give this book a try. Great story. I've already picked up the second volume and can't wait to see how the story continues.
I like the art. It was great. I was a little sad that it wasn't full color, but that doesn't take away how good it still is. The writing is awesome, but I wasn't surprised by that. Brian Michael Bendis has been one of my favorite comics and graphic novel writers for sometime now. He was one of the reasons I decided to give this book a try. Great story. I've already picked up the second volume and can't wait to see how the story continues.
July 2, 2023
Thank you to Abrams Books for the giveaway!
I don't usually read comics but I think this is a cool story with a lot of potential. I will say some of the dialog and story feel forced especially coming from people who aren't new to books/comics. I don't know if it's because comics are mostly new to me but the pacing of the book also seems kind of fast. I'd love to see some of the conflicts dragged out a bit more. I'm curious to know how many books might be planned for this series and I hope they continue to make more and this isn't just a one off. I'd definitely continue reading to see where the story goes. Would just love to see things tightened up a bit and more refined.
Happy reading!
I don't usually read comics but I think this is a cool story with a lot of potential. I will say some of the dialog and story feel forced especially coming from people who aren't new to books/comics. I don't know if it's because comics are mostly new to me but the pacing of the book also seems kind of fast. I'd love to see some of the conflicts dragged out a bit more. I'm curious to know how many books might be planned for this series and I hope they continue to make more and this isn't just a one off. I'd definitely continue reading to see where the story goes. Would just love to see things tightened up a bit and more refined.
Happy reading!
July 4, 2024
Clearly this an introductory album for what is intended to be a much longer work but so far I’m pretty happy with the three primary characters and much of the world-building. Much remains unexamined and unexplained.
The conversational patter has charm.
I am unfamiliar with Artist Andre Lima Araujo but I don’t find much here to complain about; this story shows heavy influence from Moebius but I think I sense a bit of Mike Kaluta, too. Hey, those are good places to filch from and Araujo seems to have his own ideas of how to construct this fantastic world.
Complaints: I was somewhat confused by some of the 2-page layouts, and at certain angles the furry fringe on Cypher’s shoulders makes him look clownish.
The conversational patter has charm.
I am unfamiliar with Artist Andre Lima Araujo but I don’t find much here to complain about; this story shows heavy influence from Moebius but I think I sense a bit of Mike Kaluta, too. Hey, those are good places to filch from and Araujo seems to have his own ideas of how to construct this fantastic world.
Complaints: I was somewhat confused by some of the 2-page layouts, and at certain angles the furry fringe on Cypher’s shoulders makes him look clownish.
August 27, 2022
I would give another 1/2 star if it let me. As a first book in a series it introduced main characters & the base story well. There are quite a few openers for ongoing storylines that future books can only get better & have more details to fill in the gaps this book most likely left for that purpose. However, the gaps just made me have more questions & wishing for just a touch more Information. The book is a black/white rendition & I was wanting more that color would have provided, I’m hopeful that future books will have at least some pages in color if not all. Overall, a good clean graphic novel for all ages. I absolutely will be sharing this with my grandkids.
December 23, 2022
I'm not sure how to review this book.
I personally was bored and frustrated by it and abandoned it halfway through, but I don't think it's the book's fault - apparently I'm just not a fan of graphic novels. I longed for less plot and more interiority to the characters; I was annoyed at being given images of the world that I wanted to imagine on my own terms.
However, I showed it to a couple of other people and they were really enthralled by the art and the worldbuilding. So 4 stars for what I imagine is a good product for the target audience. I do think it has a great title!
I personally was bored and frustrated by it and abandoned it halfway through, but I don't think it's the book's fault - apparently I'm just not a fan of graphic novels. I longed for less plot and more interiority to the characters; I was annoyed at being given images of the world that I wanted to imagine on my own terms.
However, I showed it to a couple of other people and they were really enthralled by the art and the worldbuilding. So 4 stars for what I imagine is a good product for the target audience. I do think it has a great title!
March 12, 2023
This came as a shock, and in a very good way. It's Bendis rolling up his sleeves and doing something totally new, and wow! He brings it all the way home. He and Andre Lima Arraujo create an entire world, and they do it in a perfect visual language. Nothing gets explained that the characters wouldn't logically define for each other. You just have to roll with it as this strange, enthralling story opens out in front of you. Probably my favourite book in Bendis's entire canon. This is a master storyteller on top of his game writing without a safety net. Awesome!
May 12, 2023
This reminded me of a European sci-fi comic where very little is explained and you as a reader have to figure it out as you go along. It's set in a far future Earth with tons of aliens. There's two kids along with a fighter that end up teaming up to go to the aforementioned city in the title.
Lima's art has grown so detailed and inventive. It was like looking at a modern day Perez or Jimenez with some manga influences. The art styles aren't that similar, but the attention to detail is.
Lima's art has grown so detailed and inventive. It was like looking at a modern day Perez or Jimenez with some manga influences. The art styles aren't that similar, but the attention to detail is.
September 7, 2022
Thank you to Goodreads for this advanced copy! My 11-year-old daughter was really excited to read this! She said she loved how there was a friendship of characters who all went through this journey together. She loved how it was a graphic novel but expressed that maybe adding some color would be better for all kids who like to read graphic novels. Overall she loved and is looking forward to the next book!
April 9, 2023
I don’t know where Araujo has been hiding, but apparently Bendis and Remender knew what to do with him. The art in this book is amazing. The story is pretty good, too, but the art is what sells it. Not five stars because sometimes a little exposition goes a long way, and I hate it when there is too much vocabulary that I need to absorb and understand for clarity. Context clues are great, but you gotta keep it in check or it becomes overwhelming and distracting.
March 24, 2025
This was incoherent, and you should avoid it. I'd like to give it a kinder score for Araujo, because his art is a delight. The story and the writing take something that could've been interesting and devolves them into half-dialogs and collections of bad tendencies. The dialect is off-putting, the characters are paper-thin, and I have no idea what could've justified a second volume. I won't be reading it.
August 22, 2022
Interesting visuals, but the story lacks sufficient exposition to really invest in. I feel like I'm reading the second book, where a lot more of the setting had been previously established and while I understand some things may want to be teased out, they shouldn't be done in a way where it seems like everyone but the reader understands what's going on.
September 28, 2022
Thanks to Goodreads and Abrams Books for an advance copy of this book!
The artwork is incredibly detailed!
I just wish it was in color like the cover instead of black and white.
Very classic comic book vibes.
If you enjoy graphic novels and post-apocalyptic/futuristic stories, this will be a good read for you.
The artwork is incredibly detailed!
I just wish it was in color like the cover instead of black and white.
Very classic comic book vibes.
If you enjoy graphic novels and post-apocalyptic/futuristic stories, this will be a good read for you.
Want to read
November 13, 2022This is a hard review to write because I love comics and graphic novels. I just didn't get this story. Sorry! The black and white art work was great and I could look at this over and over. Maybe I'm just old school and others will really like this story. I give the story a 2 and the art a 4.
January 21, 2025
Presque impossible à expliquer comme histoire, on comprend pas les dialogues…
Les panels sauvent là BD complètement en noir et blanc. Presque comme un manga.
" - I’m Guildox, the village protector. I was in the bathroom.
-Oh! Ok. (now I have to go.)
- I train EVERY day for this and I MISSED it." •§₽ 69
Les panels sauvent là BD complètement en noir et blanc. Presque comme un manga.
" - I’m Guildox, the village protector. I was in the bathroom.
-Oh! Ok. (now I have to go.)
- I train EVERY day for this and I MISSED it." •§₽ 69
September 1, 2022
Thanks to Abrams Books and Goodreads for the copy of Phenomena.
I enjoyed it very much and I'm looking forward to the next adventure with Boldon and Maltilde searching for their people.
I would have enjoyed more of the story of Golden City of Eyes. Maybe that can be another episode.
I enjoyed it very much and I'm looking forward to the next adventure with Boldon and Maltilde searching for their people.
I would have enjoyed more of the story of Golden City of Eyes. Maybe that can be another episode.
September 29, 2022
This was a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. The characters were vivid (even in black-and-white), and the action was heartpounding and non-stop. If you're looking for a graphic novel with a lot of action and characters with a secret past, I highly recommend this title.
October 24, 2022
*This was a Goodreads Giveaway*
I don't normally read graphic novels or comics like this, so it was fun to try. The story was fun and creative, and I'm sure people who like fantasy graphic novels would like it. My 6th graders may like it too.
I don't normally read graphic novels or comics like this, so it was fun to try. The story was fun and creative, and I'm sure people who like fantasy graphic novels would like it. My 6th graders may like it too.
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