Tag: Will Perkins

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Tales from the TBR, Drop Everything Edition – Goblin Vol. 2: The Wolf and the Well

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Goblin Vol. 2: The Wolf and the Well, by Eric Grissom/Illustrated by Will Perkins, (July 2024, Dark Horse Comics), $19.99, ISBN: 9781506738697

Ages 10-14

Back in 2021, I first met Eric Grissom and Will Perkins when I read their graphic novel, Goblin. I was hooked. It’s a gorgeously created graphic novel meditation on grief and loss, prejudice and acceptance with magic brimming over the edges of each page. I’ve only just read the second book in the series, published last year, and I cannot believe what I missed out on. Grissom and Perkins found a way to make a second volume of Goblin every bit as captivating and magical. The story begins with Rikt and Fish Breath, the goblin and wolf we met in the first story, seeking shelter from a storm in a fortune teller’s wagon, where Rikt is given a distressing prophecy. They flee the wagon, wolf hunters they encounter on the road, and end up the town of Silverkeep, where a woman named Miss Evelyn takes Rikt and Fish Breath to her “school for monsters”, separating Rikt from his wolf. Miss Evelyn isn’t all she claims to be, and she has pretty dark dealings on hand for her students. Rikt has to figure out how to get himself, Fish-Breath, and the other students away from Miss Evelyn before it’s too late.

Grissom touches on the prejudice other races encounter through Miss Evelyn’s classes, where she refers to her students as “monsters” and tries to whitewash their histories, bringing to mind the cruelty of residential schools that Native Americans were once forced to attend. Miss Evelyn teaches them that their belief systems – “primitive myths and deceptions” are “folktale(s) designed to push… believers into depravity”; forces them to wear human clothing, and enacts harsh punishments for anyone not following her rules. Rikt continues to push back against the falsehoods and outright lies while unraveling the secrets of the school with the help of Oola, a young female troll who has her own dark history with Miss Evelyn. Grissom tells an emotional and taut story, brought to life by Will Perkins’ moody and powerful illustration. The story ends with a suggestion of a third volume, which I am hoping upon hope that we get. If you haven’t visited the world of Goblin yet, please do.

I also discovered that Grissom has a tabletop role-playing game based in the world of Goblin! Needless to say, I printed that out immediately; it’s compatible with Dungeons & Dragons 5e rules, which I just happen to have here at my library. Guess what I’ll be introducing to my Saturday tweens? And the best part? IT’S FREE. You can visit Grissom’s webpage (which also has learning guides for both Goblin books and a host of other cool goodies) or find it on DriveThruRPG.

Posted in Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Middle School, Teen, Tween Reads

Happy Book Birthday to Goblin by Eric Grissom and Will Perkins!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Goblin, by Eric Grissom/Illustrated by Will Perkins, (June 2021, Dark Horse Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9781506724720

Ages 10-14

Rikt is a stubborn young goblin who argues with his parents and storms off to bed. He wakes to the smell of smoke, and discovers his home is under attack by a raiding party of humans. His parents are slain, and he’s forced to run into the woods to escape with his life. Angry, grieving, alone, Rikt vows revenge, but where does he begin? A benevolent deity intervenes and sets him on a path to what he thinks will give him the tools to exact vengeance – but along the way, he meets friends and learns a great deal about himself.

Goblin is a gorgeously illustrated fantasy graphic novel. The colors are as incredible as they are horrible at points: the insidious curling of the smoke around Rikt when he awakens; the firelight as his home burns; the colors dance across the page, looking almost real. Will Perkins brings Rikt’s grief and terror to the page, using color and shadow, to hit readers in the feelings. The majesty of the Goddess as she appears to Rikt is one of the best panels I’ve read so far this year.

Let’s talk about Eric Grissom’s writing: his dialogue is wonderful, with humor, pathos, and wisdom throughout the book. He expertly addresses negative stereotypes, and the damage it wreaks, in a fantastic setting. Think of your own literary biases: when you think of a goblin, do you think of a loving family? A sweet, typical kid? Probably not: and that’s the point of the story. Rikt often hears that goblins are “filthy monsters”, or “dirty filthy thieves”. Grissom touches on the cycles of violence that cause generation after generation to kill (see Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down for a brilliant, meditation on this cycle) and even hints at the violence against indigenous populations, with the murder of Rikt’s family. There is an incredible amount of wisdom waiting in this book. Perfect for fantasy fans and middle schoolers. A must-add to your shelves.