As for the plot, it jumps about a bit but is understandable.

What the book really feels like, oddly enough, is an English translation. Each chapter of the book begins with a synopsis and encapsulation that brings readers up to speed, even if the action and names become confusing. Unlike some other graphic novelists, like Neil Gaiman or Jeff Smith, Petersen’s language is brief and to the point. End matter consists of maps, guides to residences and professions, and (in a very interesting twist) different takes on the characters by fellow artists and illustrators.įirst off, I should tell you that the language here has a stilted awkward nature to it. Only by working together can the guards defeat this scourge, finding an unlikely ally to aid them along the way. A mouse claiming to carry the legendary Black Axe is certain that the guard is outdated and plans an uprising to control all the towns and villages. In their search for his remains they discover the seeds of a plot to overthrow not only their home of Lockhaven but also the entirety of the guard itself. Three of these guards, Kenzie, Lieam, and Saxon, are dispatched to discover why a local merchant went missing not too long ago.

An elite guard of mice is trained to protect the travelers in their realm from natural predators. One of the first read, 'Mice have a culture all their own too small to integrate with other animals.' The result is a story that would fit right into England circa 1152. The feel and the art, however, is vastly different.Īuthor/illustrator David Petersen puts it like this Over the years he’d scribble little ideas about this miniscule world. More than library-worthy, 'Mouse Guard' is bound to remind kids of ‘Redwall’ and the like. Months later, I received this in the mail: a beautifully bound edition of six or seven of those comic books, now in a handsome edition. A friend told me they’d be bound together at some point, but I never really believed it and 'Mouse Guard' fell out of my thoughts. They were nice items, but too short and shoddy to stand up to serious library circulation. While drifting about the most recent Comic Con I took some free samples of the 'Mouse Guard' comic books. Now, I had heard of 'Mouse Guard' before.

You’re lucky if you can find three new books a season that aren’t parts of already existing series. The public perception is that comics are just made for kids anyway, so shouldn’t this lead to an abundance of riches? Hardly. You wouldn’t think finding quality comics would be so hard. The quest to locate child-friendly graphic novels is amusingly difficult.

The art of mouse guard