Last Chance to Find Duke

by Shang Zhang

Insect researcher No. 063 has one last chance to find "Duke,", a rare species of cricket whose chirping sounds like jazz; if he doesn't find it, the Institute for Studying Extraordinary Creatures will cut funding for his research. The success of fellow researchers and his own self-doubt weigh heavy on 063 as he sets out on a journey to the mountains where Duke was last seen.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Sequential Art, Manga

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[August · Rating 5 out of 5]

the very last peow is the perfect book to end the publisher's 10 yr streak!! last chance to find duke is heartwarming, beautiful, and melancholic. a completely wonderful read

[Zander Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story and dialogue wasn’t as nice as the art. But I liked the ending!

[amelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

unique and beautifully illustrated.. the art is absolutely incredible. this is a very nice cozy book, love it!

[olive parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful beautiful beautiful beautiful. go beg peow to send u a copy!

[caitlann🪰 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love bugs and this was a lovely, calm read. Last release from peow, I’m really glad I managed to get my hands on a copy when I had the chance.
Art style is so charming and heartwarming with stunning backgrounds.
Feels like being young in the countryside sifting thru the dirt and shrubs for little critters. World is bigger than u know

[Yoana Veselinova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un comic sobre la perseverancia, concretamente aquella que mantienen los investigadores (sea cuál sea el área). La importancia de seguir haciéndolo aunque quizás seas el único que cree en ello o a nadie le importe o no esté de moda.
Chulísimo.

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 is the year of graphic novels and this was a great way to start 🥰🥰

[Branca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma graça!

[Greta Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

and the perfect book to start my day with!! had such a beautiful and melancholic vibe to it but i love an adventure and i loved all the characters. the quote "we're choosing to stare in a mirror instead of looking through a window, and everything important is outside that window" really struck me

[Dan P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bugs rule. This is a nice, very pretty little story about exploration and natural science. Overall it's not too memorable, but this quote will stick with me: "We're choosing to stare into a mirror instead of looking through a widow, and everything important is outside that widow."

[Axolotl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought 6 books from a retailer I like called Silver Sprocket when I heard Peow was closing down, and Last Chance to Find Duke was a book I hadn't seen before. But I bought it anyways, and I'm glad I did! This was the book I was the least excited for, but maybe besides Bark Bark Girl and Gleem, it just may be my favorite Peow book I've read!

First of all, the color scheme looks gray scale at first glance, but it's actually varying shades of green and purple. I think it really fit the vibe.

Second of all, the art style was endearing, and I especially liked the way backgrounds were composed.

Third of all, I like the overall theme of the story. It's honestly made me wanna pick up this book about fungi, where the author grew mushrooms out of his author's copy and ate them. Or maybe I'll find a book about insects. It's just put me in the mood to read a nonfiction novel, shockingly.

Fourth of all, I think the ending was good and chill.

[cafaco]

found the perfect pocket of an afternoon to finally read this. been thinking lately of how academica and other institutions can easily present themselves as existing for the arts, humanities, sciences, etc. but often still prioritize their own status, profits, or aesthetics to manufacture an image which doesn't align with the values they claim to uphold. in Last Chance to Find Duke, conservationists are celebrated by popularity and the work of documenting living, endangered creatures and cultures goes unnoticed, unfunded. what i expected to be a cute and quirky bug-catching story almost instantly became a solemn meditation on community, gentrification, and generally, the preservation of everything we'll lose under capitalism. still cute and quirky and delightful throughout, with a beautifully-rendered sketchy art style and a phenomenal ending which made me want to leap out of my chair and continue pursuing everything i love and long for

[juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

a whimsical, unpredictable story with a soft emotional core, timely reflections on the state of the world/capitalism/colonialism, and surprisingly accurate representations of small, uniquely human interactions.

[Rana René · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully cinematic! I love a good story capable of brining magic and adventure out of something that would otherwise feel mundane.

Characters felt like their own persons with lives outside the story aaaand each panel has such detailed pencil hand-drawn backgrounds that I had to pause to enjoy: nature, architecture, food and of course INSECTS!

The story itself also holds important commentary on how we overlook small but important things and the harm that human society can cause nature and small communities for a lack of interest and understanding. Also the heartbreak of wanting to dedicate your life to something you love but understanding that the world moves at a different pace; but that, however it might be, you’ll still be able to find people who cherish what you do.

A slightly bittersweet story, though more sweet than bitter. All in all sooo charmingly crafted, I throughly enjoyed it and will keep it in my ‘favorites’ shelf for sure! I am excited to read it again and again~ 𓆏

[Rick Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young entomologist travels to a foreign country in the hopes of finding and characterizing an extremely rare species of cricket, codenamed "Duke". Struggling with funding and jealousy over the success of his peers, the entomologist spends every ounce of his willpower towards locating this rare cricket. He meets a few kind locals along the way, paving towards some new friendships. Though he struggles a lot, it's clear that Last Chance to Find Duke is about highlighting the journey over the destination. This is an incredibly charming and quaint read, and Shang Zhang's soothing artwork evokes a sense of coziness that is unique to the format. If you're planning on reading this, wait until it's a rainy day to crack this book open. Trust me, it'll really add to the experience.

[Luke Liscom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had very little expectations for this books but I really wasn't expecting it to hit me as hard as it did. There is a particular line that had a lot of emotional and introspective weight to it. "We're looking
down from the sky, away from the uni-verse, looking only at ourselves. We're choosing
to stare into a mirror instead of looking through a window, and everything important is outside that window."

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about not giving up on what you are passionate about. And sometimes learning that if something doesn’t work out, new and better opportunities can arise. A really sweet, gentle, and quiet slice of life story.

4⭐️

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slice of life book about a researcher looking for an elusive cryptid in a far off forest. The art has flair but lacks a little technique. The story's a little meandering, but that's kind of the point. Not my favorite Peow release but I did enjoy it quite a bit

[Leslie Carnahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super cozy and fun read. As someone who loves insects, I found this story very interesting/fun. Love the characters/character development. This would have gotten 5 stars, but some of the art felt rushed/unfinished. The backgrounds are stunning. The faces however are not as polished.

[Faith Adamczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just beautiful to look at. The story lingers in the importance of the seemingly insignificant. I’m not used to writing reviews so excuse this short and sweet one. Last Chance to Find Duke is resonant. Read it.

[Ollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this :) Lovely art style, and sweet story. Stand-alone Graphic Novels can struggle to have a tight story that flows well, and whilst this does feel a bit clunky in places, I personally found it a joy to read and look at, and found the story got across what it needed to.

[tensh0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

journey > destination!!!

“we’re looking down from the sky, away from the universe, looking only at ourselves. we’re choosing to stare into a mirror instead of looking through a window, and everything important is outside that window.”

🎶🎶🎶

[Kitsu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bonito cómic sobre un entomólogo buscando un bicho. Muy nostálgico con un dibujo muy expresivo.

[Madeline Delorme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cozy book to read and only wish it was in colour!

[mik · Rating 5 out of 5]

calm, melancholic, beautiful, endearing, magical little soup

[Emily Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most beautiful art I have ever seen and such a sweet story :,) I loved where it took me.

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is perfect for the Animal Crossing girlies.

[Roni Ortolani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous book that kinda has a soft indie movie feel to it. At several points I felt like I could practically hear the background music, with the plinking of a piano doing a jazz solo right there.

[Sarah AK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another flight means another airport manga. This time an innocent, wholesome one that someone could totally look over your shoulder and not be scarred by what they see (unlike last time)...

[Hannahlovescorgis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cute and chill read with some really nice art