Cover Image: Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 1

Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 1

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Member Reviews

An interesting story that I think a lot of kids will like, although I did find some parts confusing. Sticking with it I think the story has potential to continue getting better.

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This was a decent read! It was engaging and the art style was really cool! I loved the drama of it and the bright colours, it's perfect for the audience it's aimed at. I thought the monsters were creative and enjoyed the diversity of characters we got to see, but I felt the story was a bit lacking. I feel like it did too much in one volume, making it feel a bit rushed and lacking in the tension I feel the authors were aiming for. I personally wouldn't pick up future volumes but I think any fantasy and action loving kids would love this series!

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I found this to be an excellent graphic novel for young readers! The story and visual details are ones that can be appreciated by any age group. I would definitely recommend this to any young sci-fi fans out there.

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Not gonna lie, I got a little bit confused as to what was going on in this but having re-read the synopsis after finishing it, I think I understand. (That could be due to reading this while exhausted though).

Monsters have taken over the world and are attacking. Rainbow found herself alone, with no idea if her sister Jonna or her father are still alive. When she is reunited with her sister Jonna seems different. The strongest person she's ever met, capable of punching the monsters away from her. But will they remain safe and reunite with their father?

Side note; the guy at the end - suspicious & definitely going to do something bad in my opinion. I'm intrigued.

Overall, I loved the bright colours in the artwork and I'm intrigued for more.

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I liked this comic. It's a story aimed at a rather young audience and indeed, it's quite childish but that's okay, I'd say it's also good for young adults.
I thought we were going to follow Jonna but in the end we follow her sister, Rainbow, who is trying to find her sister after losing her in a monster attack. The characters are nice but I didn't get attached to them yet. Maybe with the next volume. Indeed, the story settles in this volume, so that the reader understands the universe and the origins of the characters. It's pretty well done I think.
I recommend it to people who like youthful reads with monsters.
3.5/5

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I really enjoyed this book. The artwork was stunning and the plot and story was great as well. I haven't read too many comics or graphic novels but this was definitely one of the better ones I've read. The colour scheme also really stood out to me when reading. I'd definably recommend this and I'll also be continuing with the series.

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Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters was such a delight. Like The Flintstones x Kipo with a dash of Runaways—Jonna reminded me of Molly meets Pebbles, basically.

The story, the art, the letters, the colours are all beautifully done here and marry together so well. They are all given their space to shine and flourish and it’s such an incredible story to take in.

Chris Samnee is an absolute masterclass artist when it comes to action. He’s fantastic all-around but I think the thing that comes to mind when I think of Samnee is the dynamic panels that so beautifully illustrate a scene, especially when it comes to someone kicking butt. It feels cinematic and fluid and there are few people at the same level as him there.

My only complaint is that I wanted more story right away, it was over so quick! But I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.

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I received an advanced copy of Joanna and the Unpossible Monsters through Netgalley so I could share my review with you!

When the world ended, Rainbow was ripped away from her younger sister, Jonna. She spent the next year searching the world over for her beloved sister, the last piece of her family that Rainbow can still hope to find. Someone has to keep Jonna safe, and that job will always fall to her big sister. But, when Rainbow finds her, Jonna doesn’t seem like she needs any protection. She’s been surviving on her own in a world of monsters, using only her strength to keep the dangers at bay. The world is full of more monsters than either Rainbow or Jonna could imagine, though, and they will need each other if they want to survive!

You can get your copy of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters now from Oni Press!

Though I enjoyed the world and the characters of this story, I felt that there could’ve been a bit more plot action in this volume. I am sure the story will pick up in subsequent issues, but this collection had a bit more exposition than I was expecting. This is the only reason for a four-star review rather than a five-star one, as I thought the plot could have moved more quickly. With this being said, I will definitely be picking up future volumes of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters, because I really loved the sister-centric storyline and the way that the two sisters’ personalities contrasted. Additionally, I thought the art was the perfect fit for the story, with its bold colors and amazing monsters!

My Recommendation-
If you love sisterhood stories or graphic novels with exciting post-apocalyptic vibes, you should pick up a copy of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters. This book would be an especially fun read for fans of The Croods or Adventure Time.

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We meet a lot of characters in a very short stretch in this book. By the end of this volume we don't have an especially clear image of what exactly is going on in this world, even between Jonna and her sister. There are some cool elements at play that could make for a very compelling series but they don't have much room to express themselves in this first book.

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The art was the coolest ☺️

I loved the way the story grew from the separation to finding and went to discover something special. It's quite the apocalyptic setting and even though I'm not a fan of it I still was curious to see how the story would build itself. The landscape art was fabulous and I would have liked a little more detail on the monsters, maybe it'll be covered in the next book.

I loved the characters and I wanted to see a bit more interaction with the lead Jonna. The book gives me an expectant hope for the next installments in the story and the end was definitely a cliffhanger of sorts. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who is looking for adventure.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

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'Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 1' by Laura Samnee with art by Chris Samnee is a graphic novel about family in a time of monsters.

When Rainbow's little sister Jonna disappeared, she did what any older sister would do and set out to look for her. In a world ravaged by giant monsters, that's not an easy task. When she does find Jonna, her little sister has found refuge and gained new powers.

I really liked this story of sisters. The story moves along at a great clip and the art is just fun to look at. I like little Jonna with her fearlessness and Rainbow with her protectiveness.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

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When it comes to passion projects rooted in creators’ relationships with their own family, there is an air of skepticism. If you remember Marvel’s recent Spider-Man miniseries that was co-written by J.J. Abrams and his son, people appropriately accused the comic of being a case of nepotism, as well as a storyline that felt half-baked. At the start of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 1, its two creators, Laura and Chris Samnee, dedicated the title to their three daughters and have stated they were the main inspiration behind this all-ages miniseries, but are their intentions appropriate for everyone else?

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where giant monsters roam the lands that are beginning to dry up, Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters follows Rainbow, who has been searching for her younger sister Jonna for over a year after their home was demolished by one of these monsters. When Jonna is spotted in the wild, nearly feral and suddenly possessing the strength to punch out these monsters, can Rainbow reclaim that sibling love while the two try to survive in a world that may have more horrors than the gigantic beasts?

The initial pages contain little dialogue, instead opting for large panels that set up from the initial split of the sisters to then the small figure of Jonna leaping into action against a red giant monster. If this doesn’t capture your interest, then I don’t know what to say. So much of this comic relies on visual storytelling, and given Chris Samnee’s already impressive credentials such as Daredevil, he is at the top of his craft here.

In terms of the monsters themselves, Samnee has acknowledged the influence of Kaiju cinema in the designs, but I would also say there is a touch of Jack Kirby. With a titular character of a feral child with out-of-nowhere superhuman strength, the forces she faces are huge and considering how scary the monsters look, Jonna’s actions are grand, while adding moments of levity. Although you could view Samnee’s art as simplified compared to a more conventional comics look, the Kirby influence still shows, from the level of detail shown towards the environments, enhanced by Matthew Wilson’s bright coloring.

As for the story itself, conceived by the two Samnees – marking Laura’s debut book – there isn’t a great deal of plot as the premise is simply well-defined through the somewhat fractured relationship between the two sisters. Considering how dark post-apocalyptic fiction can be, this comic is perhaps setting something darker for the next volume. But here, the Samnees are about exploring the happiness and tragedy of human connection, balancing out with a comedic moment of Jonna eating a critter. You know, for kids.

Fun for all ages, the first volume of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters is filled with epic monster action and a touching theme about human relationships.

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Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters Vol. 1 by Chris Samnee; Laura Samnee is a graphic novel currently scheduled for release on August 17 2021. Rainbow has been looking for her younger sister, Jonna, for over a year--since the monsters appeared and the world began to dry up. Going from settlement to settlement, Rainbow asks every survivor she meets: Have you seen my sister?Then, one day, Jonna's spotted out in the wild: filthy, but strong. Strong enough to knock back a towering monster with one punch. All this time, she's been surviving. On her own. Without Rainbow. Without anyone. But there are more dangers in the world than monsters, and when the two sisters reunite, they'll discover the secrets of this new and terrifying world firsthand.

Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters is an enjoyable read. I really liked the artwork and think the style was perfectly suited for the story. I liked the story of Rainbow looking for her sister and surviving. The story was well told, and there was great interest on every page. There were a number of little bits of backstory and hints of possible things to come throughout the book, like finding the still missing family members and more information on Jonna. I did wish some of it was more fleshed out in this first volume, I think more could have been revealed without lessening the reader's need to search out the second volume for more. It felt a bit like i was just getting invested in the story, and wanting more, when the volume ended. However, I love the fact that coloring pages and a maze were included at the end- even though I can see this being an issue in library copies.

As a whole I think Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters is a fun read and many readers will enjoy it.

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Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. I like the art. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

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Jonna is so much fun, and the art is just stunning! I love every frame — the lines, colours, contrast, sense of movement, the angle of storytelling, the fantastic background details — they’re perfect. This is the first time I’ve read a coloured comic (not an experienced comics reader) and it definitely felt like a treat.

The characterisation is great. The striking monsters, the responsible older sister Rainbow, the almost feral younger sister Jonna, and the brave couple Nomi and Gor — they are all distinctive and believable.

I would appreciate having a bit more plot or a few more chapters though. As it is now, I am confused about the world where the story is set (Where and when are they? Why did monsters suddenly appear? How did people live before the monsters arrived?) and curious about where Jonna came from. I’d love to read the next volume to find out more.

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Not entirely what to say about Jonna... as Jonna said so little. There's not much we know about the character or details of the world they're living in. Other than it's where they are and what's happening is... what's happening.
I don't have an opinion about Jonna. Not a good or bad character, she just.. "was".
All we know is; Jonna smash. Jonna punch.
Jonna strong.

It's not often you walk away from a story that had no building for the characters' history, their ongoing story, what they're trying to accomplish, and why.
Not sure what I think about this one...

**Thank you to Oni Press and NetGallery for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. **

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Synopsis: Orphan wanderer Rainbow is in search in the wild for her sister Jonna who has been missing for a year, only to discover a world with larger-than-life beasts in the first volume of this epic fantasy adventure.

My Thoughts: Story/Pacing (5/5) -- The entire plotting reads like a perfect setup to a large-scale saga of the ages, not unlike the beginning entries of Jeff Smith’s masterpiece Bone, a parallel I couldn’t resist drawing since Smith also praised this book on the cover. We’re introduced to a colorful setting that seems to draw heavy inspiration from Asian architecture and tropical scenery over a series of mostly pantomime panels. These pages do an excellent job bringing forward the immersive qualities as parts of the world are revealed throughout the story while leaving out enough mystery behind this universe for us to figure out until the next installment arrives.

Characters (5/5) – Despite the title, I would say Rainbow takes the center stage in screen presence and characterization who is presented as this bright, ambitious adventurer clad in overalls and pink hat with stubby animal ears loosely reminiscent of Finn the Human’s (Adventure Time). Meanwhile, Jonna, who has become a feral wanderer, mostly serves as a cynosure to Rainbow’s perilous quest. This doesn’t diminish Jonna’s character in the slightest, nevertheless, as there are several panels of her alone depicting her resourcefulness and agility which allows her to survive in the wild. There are even hints towards her extraordinary strength which might play an important role in later volumes.

Art (5/5) – It was stunning. The linework, bouncy character designs, and backgrounds all amazed me. The heavily blue to purplish color schemes particularly during the jungle scenes stood out as stylistically unique and was an ideal backdrop for all the exhilarating action scenes.

Final Thoughts: Overall, Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters is a quick-moving, short but enjoyable read that seems to be setting itself up for some colossal expectations lore-wise. It’s ideal reading for its middle-grade target audience and has enough high stakes to even thrill older readers.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with my first advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Jonna is a whole mix of Donnie from the Wild Thornberry's and Tarzan. But, instead of a Jungle, make it a post-apocalyptic world full of giant monsters.
It is also a wholesome story of survival and finding your family once again.
It also has one of the most unique weapons I have ever seen.

I will continue the Graphic Novel if I can find it because it is too wholesome.

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I was drawn to this book for the art, which is just fantastic. I stuck around for the giant monsters, and I'm glad I did. The tale of Rainbow looking for her family--her father and her sister, for whom the series is titled--was good, though I'm not sure about the pacing. Jonna was very quick to accept Rainbow, but it's not entirely clear if she remembered her sister, or just decided to let her tag along for convenience's sake. Either way, watching Rainbow go from awed at her own good luck, to a near-constant state of loving exasperation, was lovely. And what a nice little cliffhanger in the last panel of the book! I'm looking forward to the next volume. Recommended to sisters, fans of giant monsters, and those interested in dystopian fiction.
(NetGalley provided me with a digital ARC of this title in return for an honest review.)

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thank you to Oni Press for an e-arc of this volume in exchange for an honest review.

jonna and the unpossible monsters is a sad-yet-heartwarming middle grade graphic novel following a girl called rainbow who is looking for her missing sister jonna, as well as her father in a very strange world.

at first it seemed like a happy story but then we come to find out that jonna has been missing for a year and to make matters worse, in this world monsters exist and weird plants are destroying everything...until jonna is spotted.

i felt that the relationship between rainbow and jonna after she was found was poorly executed as it felt very rushed and didn't give the chance to show jonna's trauma of being missing, as well as her being scared of people after living in the wild with monsters for so long. despite this it was nice to see them become 'allies' again and go on a journey to where the volume ended.

i did feel that jonna herself was a bit poorly explained too as they never really felt like family or sisters; it was more of a friendship dynamic, however, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing as it was still a very nice story between them both. in volume 2 i would also like the world to be explained and discovered a lot more, but naturally i see the story going that way!

overall, it was a quick read with some beautiful art and colouring but it suffered from pacing issues. - 3.5* rounded up! i definitely recommend checking it upon release: August 17th 2021. i will definitely continue the series when volume 2 is released in spring 2022.

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