This was sooo cute!!

I have been waiting for someone to put this concept to paper for so long. It has been going around the web for a while. People do not age or die (unless their heart is pierced with a specific magical arrow) or change at all until they meet their soulmate. And once they do, they must leave the cursed island or risk dying, regardless of whether the soulmates leave their family or children behind. I had a huge crush on this concept and it's so great that it was so well executed. It's so awesome that I found this story and in a comic no less. I love it when an awesome story is illustrated. Fortunately, it was also very well written. I would've been so pissed if this concept was completely butchered and ruined. Not to mention the incredible, beautiful art that accompanied this awesome story.

The idea that some people would rather live forever than have a soulmate, and therefore sent a Heart Hunter to track their soulmate down and kill them adds a bit of more realism into the fantasy of the story and I really liked that. I also liked the idea that hearts can change the way people change and that means they can find a new/different soulmate. So if a soulmate dies, one way or another, and the heart changes then it will be linked to someone else's heart.

The story was so touching and beautiful. People's hearts are outside of their body and they take a form according to how they are treated by their wearers. Just like any living thing, the heart needs to be nurtured, otherwise it tears and bleeds, and rots. The relationships between the MCs, whether soulmates or not, were so beautiful, and sweet, and well-written.

I did find some plot holes, however. I don't understand how more than one child is born on the island if only soulmates can procreate, and once mated, must leave the island or risk dying. Also, while I liked the idea that it's not only romantic love that can mate two people (Psyche, the Heart Hunter mated to her sister because they somehow completed each other), it was specifically mentioned, in the beginning, that people didn't bother forming romantic relationships because of the curse, and those that did were scrutinized and judged. So the mating bond between Psyche and her sister doesn't make much sense.

I still liked the comic, though. It's really, really good and I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! Really unique story and I loved the worldbuilding and the complex group of characters! My heart breaks for Psyche and her story, and I just wanted her to have all the happiness in the world! I also loved that it wasn't a typical "king hired a bounty hunter" thing, but that Psyche and the King are actually friends and have been so for AGES! Gave the story a bit more complexity. Also: loved that the story used the wide definition of soulmates, not just limited to romantic love!

The thing that brought it a bit down for me was that I wish we got even more of the backstories, and more buildup in-between the chapters and in the beginning. Otherwise, this was great!

I am providing feedback based on a very short preview that I was able to obtain. I was unable to read this book in it's entirety due to issues downloading.

The prologue set the world up nicely. The illustrations were beautiful, I enjoy problematic characters who do things to simply stay in power. I did not get to meet our main character, but the prologue did convinve me to find the full book to read. I'll come back here to edit once I have it,

This book was an absolutely delightful exploration of what it means to have a heart - making quite literal some of the common expressions used.

There was just so much to love about this book.
First of all the premise of this book was such a cool idea. I’ve seen the prompt/idea floating around, but I’ve never seen a book with the premise before and I was not disappointed. I love how the author executed the idea and I would definitely read the book again.
I also love the artwork and the colors use. The story was wonderful, but what truly made the book excellent was the artwork and the colors were absolutely beautiful.
Another part I loved was how Mickey George wrote soulmates and the relationships in this book. Of course, we had the idea that soulmates meant romantic feelings, but we also had platonic soulmates and familial soulmates and I loved that George included those types of soulmates as well. I would even go so far to say that there were elements of found family at the end.
The way that heart hunters are created was an interesting idea and I loved how this book was not just about “finding soulmates” but also learning to trust and love again and learning to let others care for you. The final point I want to mention is the different “types of hearts” there were. Some examples: the golden heart, hearts locked away in jars, bleeding hearts, etc.
Overall, I was very pleased with this book and I would definitely recommend it and buy it.

I almost knocked a star off this rating due to the image about 25 pages in. It probably won’t bother most people, but I’m super sensitive about things going near eyes... so here it is in case you are curious... [ She sticks a dang needle in her eyeball!!!! Like WTF!?!? (hide spoiler)]. But other than that, this is absolutely perfect!!

It took me a bit to get used to the art. It looks just a little rougher than what I’m used to, but now I really think it just adds to the charm!! The characters are each so interesting to look at and I really enjoyed the individual hearts. Who would have thought that everyone’s hearts would be so different from each other!.? It was such a fun little detail.

The story was just so intriguing that I had a hard time stopping once I got into it. And just when you’re pretty sure you know how it’s going to go, things get flipped over and you don’t know where everything is going to fall. The ending!!! I’m still all mushy from that ending and I am tempted to reread it just to take it all in again. That’s how much I liked it.

I recommend this to those who enjoy graphic novels that have adventure, humor, and a sweet side. This is such a fun read!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Legendary Comics, and Mickey George for providing the opportunity to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Will be posted on my blog and Amazon shortly.

I got an ARC of this book.

I am not exactly a fan of metaphors in general, just say what you mean. Hiding behind some flowery language doesn’t make it clearer and can just make it difficult to understand. Yet, this comic was just a giant metaphor about healing and love and I liked it. It is a bit wild.

The plot was interesting. The way that the curse worked, the way that the hearts worked, the different elements really sold it. I loved that there were hearts of gold, bleeding hearts, broken hearts, you get the idea. There was a role for every type of heart. The idea that someone can be stagnant in their pain and cruel in their desire to only have love was fascinating. I really can’t say enough about the plot and the mechanics of the hearts.

The art was ok. There were times I wasn’t impressed with it. There were other times when the art was perfect. I think it just wasn’t an art style that meshes well with me. Others have praised it for being breathtaking and I guess I can sort of see it. I picked up this book for the plot though. The art doesn’t carry the story. Often times it felt like the art didn’t live up to the greatest parts of the story.

Overall, this was a wonderful book. I read it in one sitting and felt satisfied with it. The ending was a little bit cheesy, but also the only ending that really made too much sense. I would have liked a polyam situation, but I don’t often get what I want. I did love that the soulmates did not have to be lovers, that was a really nice detail. That detail alone would be enough for me to recommend this book to people.

Well, this was interesting for real!! The story was really cool and the prologue really had me wanting to read more. The problem was the art. I mean, it was beautiful but I felt that most actions were missing and sometimes I felt lost while reading. And I hate when that happens 😭 yet the characters were so worth it and my fave thing 💕

The Heart Hunter by Mickey George was a fantastical tale in which a kingdom was cursed with immortality and their hearts in jars until the time they meet their soulmate. This graphic novel expressed some really interesting and thoughtful points about our emotions and mental health inside the guise of a fairy tale-type story. It was fast-paced, moving, and had bold colors in the art. I thought it very well done.

Everyone on the island of Envecor is cursed to wear their hearts literally on their sleeves (or in jars) outside their bodies. They cannot die, age, have children, change or leave the island unless they find their soul mate. When soul mates meet, they are freed from the curse and can leave. Heart hunters helped people to locate their soul mates but some want to remain immortal and use them to eliminate their matches. Psyche, the top Heart Hunter on the island, is hired by King Marius to locate and assassinate his soul mate but as she sets off to accomplish another mission, Psyche must deal with her own broken heart and learn to trust other people again.

Loved the storyline by George which draws inspiration from traditional expressions used when discussing love and soul mates. These are brought to life by the very talented V. Gagnon. Imaginative and richly illustrated, your eye is drawn across each of the pages to focus on all of the beautiful details within the imagery. The heart which features predominantly in the illustrations is anatomically correct and adds a very realistic feel to an otherwise imaginary setting. I really got a sense that the author and illustrator were influenced by Greek mythology and classic fairy tales in terms of how the story is brought to life on the pages. The work of Russian illustrator Ivan Bilibin is definitely called to mind (and confirmed in interviews by Gagnon) and I also see similarities to the work of Alphonse Mucha and Aubrey Beardsley (Art Nouveau style) in terms of the richly ornate filigree and decoration on the frames surrounding the illustrations in the beginning of the graphic novel.

The story’s key theme is the idea of change. Underneath the surface of the main story, there are also abstract feelings and concepts being discussed so the graphic novel works on a number of levels depending on the reader’s interpretation.

I loved the character Psyche and her vulnerability and also stubbornness in dealing with her own broken heart. I felt that she was very much brought to life on the pages. And trust me, you are going to love to hate King Marius who holds the title of the King of Hearts. Marius is definitely the archetypal villain within this story!

Thanks to NetGalley and Legendary Comics for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I loved this comic! It was so original and unique. I found the plot to be unpredictable. The characters were interesting and likable, even (and especially) the villain. I loved the level of diversity, with gay couples and even a nonbinary character. The artwork is gorgeous. It seemed like the font was also a little different than I've typically seen in comic books, and it was very easy on the eyes. I only wish The Heart Hunter were an ongoing series so there were more to enjoy! Maybe in the future the author could create a prequel? I'm a bit obsessed with King Marius and would love to see how he wrested power from the people and put himself on the throne, in detail.

If I had any critique, it would be that sometimes I was a little confused by the mechanics of the world the author has created. For example, by the end I still wasn't sure where the king was getting the arrows that can pierce hearts and kill people. It was actually explained at least twice in the story, but I didn't understand it, I just rolled with it and went on with the story. I think reading the comic again would help my understanding, because the worldbuilding is really inventive and complex in the best of ways. This is definitely a story I would enjoy reading again and again. I'm buying this comic right now!

A heart-warming (wink wink nudge nudge) novel with flowing illustrations and a bordering-on-indecent amount of heart-related wordplay. The illustrator had to draw so. many. hearts. they must be an expert at this point. It's beautifully rendered and achingly told—a story that explores how people stagnate, and people can always, always change. I particularly enjoyed exploring different types of soulmate relationships. As partial as I am to romantic soulmates, I love seeing friend and family soulmates as well. After all, exploring the bonds between people is about intimacy, in all its many and varied forms.

On the island of Envecor, everyone is cursed to be stuck on the island and immortal until they find their soulmate. I loved this book so much! The storyline is amazing. There was so much character development. The art work is amazing!! I would definitely recommend to a friend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Heart Hunter by Mickey George is an amazing fantasy graphic novel about love, time, death, magic, good, and evil. It will appeal to fans of M. Alice Legrow's Bizenghast and the Fables graphic novel series. The story revolves around a magical island where everyone has to wear their hearts on their sleeves - literally. People who find their soulmates are able to become mortal and leave. Those who don't remain immortal. In this world, “Heart Hunters” find people's soulmates and kill them for a price. The main character is Psyche, a Heart Hunter who is hired by the king to destroy the heart of his soulmate. Will she succeed in her quest? And what happened in her past that caused her to pursue this evil way of making a living?

Overall, The Heart Hunter is a stunning fantasy graphic novel that will transport you to a magical world. One highlight of this book is the great art style. I'm reminded of the fairy tale art of Kay Nielsen and Virginia Frances Sterrett. The colors are gorgeous. Although the characters are drawn in a cartoonish way, the style works for the story that the book is trying to tell. Another highlight of this book is the amazingly original story. This fantasy world has been intricately created for us, and I enjoyed every moment that I spent reading this book. I can see this becoming a classic of fantasy graphic novels like Neil Gaiman's Stardust. If you're intrigued by the synopsis, or if you're a fan of graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available in bookstores now!

I enjoyed this story. I thought the idea was very interesting and unique, and I really enjoyed the character arcs throughout, specifically Psyche. The art style was also very enticing, I just wish the epilogue were a little longer so I could see what happened to the characters more.

I liked the overall art-style of this, but wasn't a big fan of the coloring or the color scheme. I thought the story was okay and there were some interesting themes explored. I love that it has queer representation, without that being the whole plot of the story, because the story takes place in a world where being queer is just as normal as being straight. I also really loved that the story talked about how soulmates don't have to be romantic partner. Your soulmate can be a friend or family member; someone who completes you. Again, the story was good and interesting overall, but it felt like something was missing. I didn't have enough background knowledge about Jez to care about them that much.

Truly beautiful. The Heart Hunter is a graphic novel that will remind you exactly what graphic novels should be. A story full of emotion and art that will astound you,.

"The Heart Hunter" has the potential to be a powerful introduction to media (graphic novels)or genre (fantasy) for teen or adult readers. It presents powerful themes and allegory in a palatable way that doesn't feel force fed, and diverse design and layout in a way that shows of how much more than comic strips modern graphic novels have become with out being unreadable to the uninitiated. The linework is a little rough, but combined with the deliberate color pallet and subject mater the resulting artwork is indeed beautiful and graceful.
This story could be valuable addition to a collection striving for inclusion and diversity.
I would positively compare this to works like "Stardust" (either the novel or the comics), "Nimona", "Kill the Farm Boy", or "Ladyhawke".

The reader of this book is not going to have much question about the intent of the story. The metaphor is pretty blatant. Hearts are literally broken, hardened, made of gold, and worn on sleeves. It's certainly a unique way to explore these ideas. Very expressive.

I received an e-book copy of The Heart Hunter through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The story was intriguing. The use of heart-related sayings intertwined together to tell a dark tale was ingenious (bleeding heart, broken heart, heart to heart, pouring one’s heart out, wearing one’s heart on a sleeve, heart of steel, heart of gold etc). The legend behind the curse was a bit hard to comprehend but the curse itself was well crafted and the story was captivating from the start. 😉
The art was at times a bit too complex and thus I needed to read parts of it several times but mostly it was vibrant and beautiful. 😊
Overall a well-done graphic novel! 🙂