The was really fun and entertaining and while it tackles important and difficult problems like racism and oppression it does it in an interesting fun way. Nice art style and likeable characters, I would really like to see more of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. My review was not affected by the free copy.

What got me was the promise this was a meeting of Harry Potter and Final Fantasy. I can definitely see influences from both series in this comic. You have the magical school of Harry Potter and the magic system is similar to Final Fantasy. A lot of the spells they cast are either directly from the series, like "Diamond Dust", or have similar names like "Thundaga" and "Heal" looked a lot like healing magic in Final Fantasy. There are also references to mana and in their potion class they're working on a mega-elixer using ethers. Not only that, they have a crystal in the school! And if all those influences weren't enough, I noticed how Lizzie's wand looked like one Sakura (from Card Captor Sakura) would wield or Sailor Moon.

Admittedly, seeing all these familiar things did make me connect with it more, but it still managed to build its own world and be its own thing. I always want more story and background but I feel like it showed the world and the magic in an easily understandable way.

The artwork in this graphic novel is lovely. It's colorful and it captures action very well. All of the spells look as grand and energized as they should be. I like the kind of anime style going on. The story was also very good. I like how it involved famous characters like John Henry and Harriet Tubman and also had Tom's crow be named Jim. I liked the two lead characters a lot. Tom was an excellent main character to follow and I like how Lizzie never backed down or questioned her choices.

This is definitely a self-contained story, but I wouldn't mind seeing Tom and Lizzie again on other adventures. It was entertaining while also talking about racial prejudices and standing up against bigotry.

Typo on page 51 (Magic Missle)
It may have been the pdf format, but I struggled with the way it switched formats from single page sequence to 2 page spread sequence. The way the pdf is set up, the pages are off and you can't view it properly as the two page spread.

This book was NOT subtle, but it was powerful. Really great one shot story! I would definitely have it in my classroom and recommend it to students, but I don't think I'd teach a lesson on it. I might use it as an example for things.

This is an interesting story (albeit one that could use a bit of editing for clarity of story in a couple of places). The artwork is really lovely. It’s bright and colorful and filled with anime-style motion.

Powerful! This is an amazing book for any young POC or anyone interested in learning about racism in our history and modern day. Using stories from the past, The Black Mage focuses on modern day racism that is sometimes just as bad as it was hundreds of years ago.

Always looking for good multicultural graphic novels. This has too many overtly racist tropes and and little character development. No explanation of the magic used to draw in fantasy fans,

I did not know what to expect going into this comic but I loved it.

It hits you hard and fast and it’s very obvious that this story is about battling racism and racial oppression – and not really much else.

It’s incredibly on the nose about the racism – seriously, there isn’t an ounce of subtlety about what is going on and what the goal of the story is, (like, c’mon, the main character is called Tom ‘Token’). But when it’s hitting you so hard and fast and only has 150 pages to work with, it works.

I loved the two main characters, both Tom and Lindsey were likeable and identifiable though we have no concept of their backstories. Even just a small sentence or two about their lives beyond the school. The main bullies hint at Tom’s parents being blacksmiths but it’s kinda like… ok… aaaand, anything more? Lindsey doesn’t really have any backstory other than being the ex-girlfriend of the headmaster’s son so could have built them up a little more – but I still really liked them.

The story was fairly simple. It has a goal and it’s charging towards that ending come hell and high water. For the most part that was fine but I think the comic could do with another few pages because it felt very jarring around the middle. (One moment we’re discovering a big secret, the next – we’re in potions class.) It just needed a little something more to smooth out the middle.

I think my main issue was the ending – ending-spoilers here on out.

~~~~

While I loved the ending – good triumphs and all that – it sort of… didn’t make sense?

The final battle did. The win, the downfall of The Klan leader, the success of Tom and Lindsey etc – all totally fine, goes the way it should, good stuff.

But, at least from my understanding, the school should have fallen into the lake and been destroyed – being that Tom kind of blew up the crystal when he woke up. The whole point of collecting the souls was so the school stayed together right? And I assumed this awful, racist school would have gone down with the fall of the Headmaster.

But in the final epilogue bit, Tom gets expelled for behavioural issues by the disciplinary board. What disciplinary board?! The school should be underwater? But Linsey, when asked what she’ll do, says she won’t go back to the school and might study abroad instead.

So… what? This school that murders students is just gonna carry on its merry way? What, did Tom hammer the racism out of them and now they’re a lovely, happy, all-inclusive school that should 100% stay open without any other repercussions? They’re not even being shut down? What’s happening here?

And as for Tom traipsing off down the railroad in the final scene; again, what’s his backstory? He’s asked where he’ll go now and he says ‘wherever the tracks take me.’

*Holds up hand*

Eh, ‘cuse me! Don’t you have parents you might want to report back to? Inform them that you got expelled due to repeatedly getting into fights while, oh you know, avoiding being murdered by a 200 yr old madman?!

No? Just me? Ok.

Anyway, that was my only real issue and that little stumble with the pacing but the rest, great.

I love the art. I wasn’t sure about it at first but it was very fun and fitting to the tone of the comic.

Overall: great read, lots of fun, like I said, very on the nose about what it’s discussing but still, lots of fun.

On the whole, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I did find that it was a little short, so it was a little difficult to get a real sense of the characters. The story was good if a bit rushed, Overall though, I found it interesting and will be reading it again when it's published

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit, I was quite thrown within the first several pages of <i>The Black Mage</i> by Daniel Barnes and illustrated by D. J. Kirkland. This graphic novel is incredibly bold and immensely terrifying, blatantly exposing racism in a way that can shock the reader, and I think is meant to shock the reader. It's uncomfortable in its own right, but frankly, I think that if it were not uncomfortable, this book would not be doing what it set out to do in the first place. The truth is that racism is uncomfortable and part of the reason that it is so is because racism is not some horrific part of our past that has "passed" and we learned from, it is something that affects people every single day in this country and will continue to do so up until the day that it is confronted, acknowledged, laws and systems of oppression are changed, and the problematic people who support it are pushed out. I know, ultimately, that's a pretty paltry summary and the issue encompasses quite a bit more than that simple list there, but I do believe that <i>The Black Mage</i> is one of those novels that really takes the issues and boldly presents them to anyone who even glances in its direction. And I found that both uncomfortable and amazing.

I think the most glaring piece of boldness in <i>The Black Mage</i> comes from the outfit of the Headmaster and others in charge at St. Ivory Academy. To put it bluntly, these people are full on wearing the robes of the KKK. There is no room for uncertainty here; we know that the authorities in the school are <i>massively</i> racist and subsequently we know that racism is not only tolerated, but it is also encouraged. Continuing on, even the name of the school points out the blatant racism. St. Ivory Academy, so cleary to anyone who knows what ivory looks like, is referring to the white skin of the students and faculty.

Our main character's name is Tom Token, having roots in racism in two ways. First with the name Tom, which can relate back to Uncle Tom of Harriet Beecher Stowe's <i>Uncle Tom's Cabin</i>, a story that detailed the life of an African American man who was entirely complacent and subservient to whites at his own detriment and that of their race and culture. Secondly, we have his last name, Token, which brings me to the unfortunate truth that the tokenism of having a black friend is incredibly prominent in today's society. You see it with people and you see it with the media. I'm already naming of television shows and movies that have a token character. And Tom here definitely fits the profile of a token as the graphic novel regularly points out that he is the <i>first</i> and <i>only</i> black student at St. Ivory Academy.

Racism is also touched upon within the characters' actions and words. They ask the ignorant questions that so many people have done and still do. There are openly racist students who attack and berate Tom solely because of his skin tone. Authority figures not only degrade him, but they also make the suggestion that a "nice white girl" is becoming "trashy" because of her association with him. The headmaster, at one point, even uses the phrase "make St. Ivory great again" in a simultaneously hilarious and painful callback to our President and his very own campaign slogan. In so many ways, <i>The Black Mage</i> is a bold statement on racism that goes out of its way to make sure that the reader understands and sees the problematic issues that are ever present in each situation of the novel. And it really doesn't take much to see the parallels that exist within our society.

And if that didn't get you, Tom's adorably illustrated pet crow is named Jim.

Now, don't get me wrong. The themes in this book are terrifying. And a large part of the reason they are so terrifying is because they are <i>still relevant</i> today. But I applaud the author's bold and blatant commentary. I hope more people read it and I hope it educates them if they are not already aware of these issues. As a final comment, it was utterly fascinating and cool to see the inclusion of a variety of African American historical figures play a role in the overall story. I won't say much more than that, so you'll just have to pick up a copy to find out. In fact, I would highly suggest that you do.

<i>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

2.5 stars. This parody-cum-satire of Harry Potter As a Token Black Student was cleverly done for the most part, but I was put off by the overly sexualised portrayal of Lindsay a problem. Tom Token was a great character and the use of the KKK as the powers-that-be of the magical universe was great. The illustrations were also a delight. If only Lindsay had been portrayed differently, I'd raise this to a 4-star read.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

I loved this. Powerful, action-packed story. Art is bright and very super-hero. History is dark and this lights it up and fightss back against so much of the evil done to black people in the past 200 years.

First of all, this book is incredibly race-focused. That is not a negative nor a positive thing, although you need to know. I didn't and expected more of a magic school with a black kid who also needs to deal with some racism. That is not the case. The magic system isn't really explored. Another thing you should know: this is very inspired by anime so expect a lot of 'epic' battles between characters.

In this story, we follow Tom who gets accepted into the St Ivorys academy of Spellcraft And Sorcery as a part of the minority program. He is the first and only black student. In school, he meets Lindsay, a white girl, who annoys him at first. They do become friends later on as Lindsay continues to help Tom. Help Tom with what? Fighting the rest of the school staff and students. Why are they fighting them? Because they are the KKK. Almost.

I do like the drawing style and colours. They were very vivid and were just right for the fast pace.

It did show a lot of things that may help people understand racism and the degrees of it. It went from "make St. Ivory great again" to some terrifying, really disturbing stuff. It also had the ghosts of historical characters such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. Tom also had a crow named Jim. I'm not a person of colour, so I don't feel like I can comment on the realism of it because I have never experienced racism.

This is my ideal graphic novel format with an interesting story, not too much prose and great artwork. The story has a good pace and it is certainly creative and interesting in the way it manages to address institutional racism in a 'Harry Potter' format. I really enjoyed the artwork and the colouring.

It is an interesting and contemporary story about a young black mage who is invited to join a school for mages which had previously only allowed white students. When he gets there he encounters all kinds of racism and then subsequently uncovers a sinister plot and the school's deeply racist roots.

The story manages to combine historical characters, magic, battles and contemporary experiences about race, because the discrimination illustrated here is alive and flourishing in many societies and institutions. This story doesn't hold back, showing the complexity of institutionalised racism and what it takes to recognise and confront it.

I think this would be a very interesting book for a younger audience because it lends itself nicely to follow up discussions. I hope this series continues because it is good to see a strong black character in a graphic novel who works alongside a white female character in order to achieve justice. It is refreshing to have both a main female character and a main black character who are actually the centre of the story and shown in an empowering way.

Copy provided by Oni Press via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

The ARC of this graphic novel was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was looking for something short to read to get me up to my 15 book goal for May, and I stumbled across this little comic on NetGalley. Now, comics and graphic novels are something that I've only really dabbled in reading, and I haven't read one in a few months, so if you're an avid comic/graphic novel reader, take this one with a grain of salt.

The story starts 150 years in the past, with Harriet Tubman and Fredrick Douglass surrounded by Ku Klux Klan wizards. And not wizards like grand wizards (though there is one of those), but wizards with magic and shit. This scene very effectively sets up the tone of the story as well as the world, before it shifts to the present day, with Thomas Token going to his very first day at St. Ivory's Academy of Spellcraft and Sorcery, not to be confused with certain other school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He proceeds to deal with the racism of his teachers and classmates (some of which are also literal KKK members), and stumbles upon a wider conspiracy under the school. I won't say any more than that, since the story is so short and does rely on certain reveals, but I did really enjoy it. My one complaint story wise was that it was so short. I could very easily seeing this as a multi-volume series, dealing moreso with the everyday racism and other issues that Tom faces and more gradually building up to the wider conspiracy, but that's more of a personal preference, and I think it did well with the time it had. Some things seemed a but on the nose for me (the one black character is named "Token," at one point someone uses a spell called "Oppression," etc.), but again, it did a good job getting it's message and story across with the time it had.

I also really enjoyed the artwork. I could very easily see this adapted as a short anime or cartoon, and many of the panels are already fairly cinematic and have a strong sense of movement. I had some issues with page layouts, specifically double page spreads, just because the format of the eARC only let me look at one page at a time, but that's not an issue many people would experience. My only other minor quible comes from me being an art student. I noticed that sometimes the characters were a bit off model (and not in a way that seemed intentional, because the other characters in the same panel would be normal), and there were times when the perspective was not consistent. For example, the first time Tom is shown in full, he is shown from above, in a way that causes the line of his body to appear diagonal, but the suitcase by his feet does not reflect this, making it a bit odd. This is more a minor nitpick than anything else though.

4 out of 5 stars.

The magic wasnt explained all that well, but I loved the magical school setting and the whole fighting against oppression plot. The underlying theme of the book was featured in a very literal way despite the fantasy elements so a younger audience should be able to grasp them easily. I enjoyed the art style, but the boxes werent in order in the egalley I received so it was a little confusing at times. The balance between fight scenes and dialogue wasnt completely to my taste, but it made for a quick read.

Ill share all the links soon.

Thanks to Netgalley and Oni Press for an electronic galley of this book. 

As the result of a "Magical Minority Initiative," Tom Token is the first black student at St. Ivory academy - or is he? After his pet Jim (a crow) appears with an ID card from another black student missing from the school's history, Tom finds himself uncovering the mystery of how Atticus Lynch, the school headmaster, built his school on white supremacist ideals and the literal lives of African American slaves and heroes of the past. 

This book is marketed towards teens, but it's a middle-grade read more accurately, or a teen-read in the hi-low category. The naming conventions are spot on, with Tom as the "token" black student, Jim crow pet, St. Ivory Academy (he takes the train to "Alabaster Station"),  a spell which "enslave[s]," etc, but unfortunately, the story doesn't dig deep enough for teen literature, in my opinion. It has some exciting fight scenes and I think for those alone including the presence of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and John Henry kicking some butt, the book deserves props and would be a fun read for younger readers who want an action book - but in terms of the story, something is to be desired. The pacing is breakneck, including a jarring cut-to in which the main character summarizes the evil plans of the headmaster instead of allowing the reader to discover it for his/herself.  For a book which throws its hat at Harry Potter, it feels like there are not enough moments of magic - classes barely occur except to introduce how Tom is seen as Other by not only students but teachers alike. 

I was really excited to read this graphic novel. It started with great promise but ultimately feels like an extended version of a political cartoon - nearly all of the characters are one-dimensional, including Tom. It makes a valid statement regarding systemic racism, but in ways which, for me at least, had little impact. 

Recommend for POC who want to experience something relatable but fun, with black empowerment in the face the of deep-set racism. Yet somehow - not a deep read.

Harry Potter meets Sailor Moon meets Dread Nation, or so I’ve heard! I wanted to like this graphic novel but had a hard tone getting into it. The graphics are a bit too computerized for me - I tend to prefer a rougher, more hand drawn style. The colors and characters are great, and the concept is fantastic. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of manga or anime so that might be why I had a harder time connecting. I enjoyed the few call outs I saw to the aforementioned pop culture phenoms (including a giant chess board and some familia le wands). However, I had a hard time with the overt use of the Klan and found it to be almost too focused on the past coming to life - rather than acknowledging the ways it is less... overt these days. There was a definite Get Out feel but without the horror or built up suspense that could have taken it a little further. I can always get behind John Henry and would be willing to give future volumes a go!

I don't really know what I was expected when I started reading, but this was not it, and I mean that in the best possible way. The story was very quickly paced and definitely kept my attention. The artwork was very well done. I think young adult readers who loved Harry Potter will definitely enjoy this comic.

Surprisingly fun for a comic book about racism and the KKK.

** Trigger warning for depictions of racism. **

When teenager Tom Token is accepted into the historically all-white boarding school St. Ivory Academy as part of its “Magical Minority Initiative,” he’s understandably skeptical. Sure, the facilities are state of the art, and the education can’t be beat, but at what cost? His melanin-challenged classmates assail him with aggressions both micro and – in the case of the Headmaster’s rich jock son Bryce – physical. Tom’s pet bird, Jim the crow, is even injured in the crossfire (though happily not beyond magical repair).

But race relations at St. Ivory are far worse than Tom could imagine (or maybe not: the Headmaster’s robe bears a suspicious resemblance to a KKK hood). When he receives an anonymous tip that he’s not the first black mage to walk St. Ivory’s halls, Tom embarks on a journey to find out what happened to his predecessors. With the help of the ghosts of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, and do-gooder fellow classmate/student liaison Lindsay Whitehorn, can Tom get justice for the other black mages sacrificed to keep St. Ivory afloat – or will he, too, be fed to the racist machine?

The synopsis describes THE BLACK MAGE as “THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL meets DREAD NATION,” but I got a ton of Harry Potter vibes. I half expected Barnes to swap the race of one of the more minor characters halfway through the narrative, a la Lavender Brown. It just feels right, given Barnes’s sense of humor (and I mean that in the most awesome way possible).

Some readers will undoubtedly describe the book’s racial politics as heavy-handed – and the references are pretty numerous and not terribly subtle – but I think it’s done in a clever and engaging way: rather cheeky with a “I said what I said” kind of energy. The comic is remarkably fun for a book about racial violence, which I suspect is the point: disarm your audience with charming artwork, plucky sidekicks, and a plethora of pop culture references so that they absorb the message before they can say “Riddikulus!”.

This was such a fun read. I loved the art style, it was so colourful, and this book was just filled with so much fun and adventure.