Kevin CannonCritiques

I found this one a bit hard to follow at times, but as with all Jim Ottaviani books it was quite enjoyable.½

A gift from someone I've never met. Brilliant adventure, great sound effects. Looking forward to reading the earlier story next.

Good romp, think I preferred Crater XV which I read first - there were a few too many characters at the start to keep track of here, and a couple of deus ex machina, but as with Crater, some great storytelling, lovable characters, and cracking action twists.

Jim Ottaviani and Big Time Attic’s Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards: A Tale of Edward Drinker Cope, Othniel Charles Marsh, and the Gilded Age of Paleontology focuses on the two titular paleontologists, their rivalry, and the ethically-dubious practices of government-funded scientists in the late nineteenth century. They portray Cope as ambitious, but put-upon and Marsh as something of a huckster among his fellow academics; an interesting choice as Marsh frequently encountered P.T. Barnum, as Ottaviani and Big Time Attic depict. The artist Charles R. Knight, who was the artist of choice for depicting Dinosaurs and their reptilian contemporaries, serves as something of a middle ground for the two extremes of Cope and Marsh, while allowing the authors to introduce other people who played a role in early paleontology.

Like Jonathan Fetter-Vorm’s Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb or his Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War, Ottaviani and Big Time Attic’s book offers a good introduction to the subject of science in the Gilded Age for both high school and introductory college readers as well as general science enthusiasts. Though the book fictionalizes some events for dramatic effect, Ottaviani and Big Time Attic helpfully include a “Fact or Fiction?” section where they offer additional details about the facts and discuss where they fictionalized events as well as how those literary licenses were based on actual events. The book closes with a list of further reading for those interested in learning more about the subjects discussed. Educators, students, and casual readers will gain a greater insight into the world of the Gilded Age through the events Ottaviani and Big Time Attic portray and from how they recreate the language of the time, both in direct quotes and through the font choices for speech balloons.½

Nice art, solid writing. The book has a bit of an identity crisis regarding its tone, but it's a fun read overall.

Questo fumetto racconta la storia della conquista della Luna (l'ora T: le varie date sono misurate come in un conto alla rovescia) con la corsa parallela russa e americana. L'accenno, più che agli astronauti, è posto sulle persone che sono state a capo dei rispettivi programmi, Sergej Korolëv da una parte e Max Faget e Caldwell C. Johnson dall'altra. La storia è interessante soprattutto per il lato russo che come sempre per noi occidentali è meno noto, ma mi ha lasciato un po' deluso: il tratto dei disegnatori Zander e Kevin Cannon è poco incisivo, e la scelta (italiana?) di un lettering diverso quando parlano i russi, con "a" ed "e" minuscole e И al posto di "N" diventa presto stancante. Niente da eccepire invece sulla traduzione di Stefano Visinoni.

Introduces genetic concepts, via an alien character who has researched earth to give data to his ruler. Some amusing script, and creative images. Since I had already taken a genetics class, a lot of it was pretty old-hat & boring. I can't really say how someone who knew nothing about genetics would respond.
Some of it was dated: --His pondering (p 132) whether modern humans have any neanderthal genes (which would indicate they were absorbed into Homo sapiens rather than being exterminated by us--current DNA testing can give you what % Neanderthal you are). --Twenty years ago my son was given recombinant human growth hormone for genetic disorder--didn't think it was "still being tested for safety" as stated on p108: "Somatotropin also known as Human Growth Hormone.Helps prevent growth deficiencies, especially in children. At this time, the recombinant form is still being tested for safety."
Some of the current uses of genetic modification were new to me & I appreciated being updated, and the page on Johnny Appleseed was actually useful as I plan to start an orchard.
Includes glossary & recommended reading list.½

The graphic novel "T-Minus: The Race to the Moon" pleasantly met and exceeded my expectations. Set during the decade building up to the Apollo 11 moon landing, the book is a well-researched account of the tremendous scientific advancements of the 1960s.

A huge reason for the book's success is the decision to cover both the American and Russian space programs, rather than exclusively focusing on NASA's achievements. The competitive atmosphere of the 'space race' give the book excellent tension and focus. Writer Jim Ottovani, and the artists Zander Cannon and Kevin Cannon are celebrative of the achievements of the both sides of the space race.

"T-Minus" is appropriate for readers of all ages, though perhaps might be a little too high-level for children aged beneath 12 to read on their own without interpretation.

I get things like this for the professional scientist in my family, so she can always have a nice stack on hand for graphics & fun quotes when she teaches, yes, GENETICS. Unfortunately, when I asked her how this one was, she made a "meh" face, and said there were several things in it that were wrong.

So, cute, but not to be relied on for studying for your quizzes, kids.

A good follow up to The Martian, especially with the similarities between the Apollo missions and the Ares missions.

PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge | Task 19: A book based on a true story

Because of T-Minus, we know the history of the space race does not suffer when told in graphic novel format and aimed at kids. True, many events or people had to be condensed or left out for the story to fit into 125 pages of mostly images. But, Ottaviani does an excellent job conveying information in the brevity demanded by the form and in a way that can be understood by the intended age group. In fact, just how much information Ottaviani can convey in this format is a credit to graphic novels. He uses side panels to tell us about successful and failed launches from both the US and the Soviets that happened concurrent to the action going on in the panels. Although it's true that it is difficult to tell some characters from another, a reader can tell if we're in the USSR or the US by how the text appears. (The USSR dialog is done in a style that is similar to the Cyrillic script). There is one admission that seems curious. The terrible death of Laika is brought up, but not the unfortunate ends of the primates the US sent into space. Still, an excellent piece of history for 8-12 year-olds and possibly a sneaky way for reluctant readers to engage in nonfiction. Highly recommended for public and school libraries.

Fun, crazy and silly adventure story about searching for a mythical island in the Arctic. A 'be careful what you wish for' kind of tale. The beginning was a bit confusing as I had a hard time keeping the characters straight, but I quickly got into the rhythm. The plot was well paced and developed. Only two female characters and they were unfortunately stereotypical (only interested in love and relationships)--this story does not pass the Bechdel test. Nonetheless this was an enjoyable afternoon read.½

Strange adventures in the far north in a not-quite earth with pirates and rocketships and a bittersweet ending.

A really neat book about the competition between Russia and America for outer space (and technological) dominance. It's like a comic book version of "The Right Stuff" but gives us so many more details. You'd have to read it three times to absorb all the information. The bulk of the story is about the engineers and scientists behind the scenes. A great book.

Review from library copy.

Okay, I've read a bunch of J/YA books on the space race. This one's by the same people who brought you the Feynman graphic biography. Very well done.

4Q, 3P. This graphic novel is very informative, but in an accessible way! The Stuff of Life provides an alternative to boring high school textbooks. The information is the same, but there is a story line, writing style is easier to follow, and there is humor. I believe in combination with lessons related to genetics/DNA the book would be a great tool for teaching teens about science. Teens will find this much more engaging and the concepts are explained in way that they aren't a big headache (well at least not as much as in a textbook). I also really like that the book doesn't over simplify everything and respects teen's intelligence.

How can you not love Jim Ottaviani's work? Especially when it's about the US and Russia racing to get to the moon?

Not just a place for gunfighters, gold diggers, and cattle rustlers, the Wild West served as the backdrop for competition among the new and rapidly developing science of paleontology—a competition rife with scoundrels, backstabbers, and downright thieves. The story elucidates the sordid relationship between two premier paleontologists of the late nineteenth century: Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. Cope, a pure (albeit poor) scientist, works tirelessly to advance the trade by locating new dig sites in remote locations of the western United States. Marsh, a wealthy bureaucrat, uses his name and claim to the Peabody fortune to advance his own career—and to systematically sabotage Cope’s. The bold, black and white illustrated cells of this graphic novel add a depth to the story beyond mere words. The drawings capture the actual expressions of the characters as well as present to the reader the bones and specimens over which the protagonists are squabbling. At times a bit erratic, clarity is revealed as readers become accustomed to the unique format and writing style.

T-Minus the race to the moon takes a look at the great space race in perspectives from both Russia and the United States of America covering the challenges, failures and successes from Sputnik to landing on the moon and beyond. This graphic novel gives a succinct history in a fun way for young adult and teen readers. Although characters are introduced in the same way and locations are mentioned, it does take some concentration determining between characters. The included further reading suggestions, glossary and authors' note will aid the reader in understanding. Recommended for those tweens/teens and adults who enjoy graphic novels and/or learning about the history behind NASA and adventures in space.

One of the things that has fascinated me since I can remember, even though I hate heights, is space travel. I remember catching the bug sometime in middle school and I’ve never given it up. So I was excited to see a graphic novel that deals with the space race of the late 60’s-70’s. And while you might think, judging from the title, that T-Minus: Race to the Moon would cover just the Apollo missions…but you’d be wrong. Instead Ottaviani and the Cannon’s bring us back to the very beginning of the space race, 12 years before the landing on the moon, to trace America’s and Russia’s pursuit of getting into space.

For me the most important factor of this book is that Ottaviani covers both the American and Russian perspective, which is something that readers don’t always get to hear about (at least outside of Suptnik.) And although he mentions a bit of the tension between the two countries Jim does an excellent job of focusing on the men and women that helped create the space program for both nations and the fact that they drove each other to go to greater and greater heights. He shows them as people, scientists, engineers, flyers, the everyday people who were dedicated to accomplishing their goals and helping man land on the moon. One of my favorite parts of the book is the marginalia that shows the various launches that took place over the 12 year period, whether they were successful or not, how long the flight was, and other bits of information. This is just a great way to read the history behind the space race and see/hear the names of people that worked behind the scenes in both countries that helped make this happen.

The Cannon’s artwork captures the bare essentials of the characters and landscapes that the text describes. Using black and white line work, they give faces to names that would have otherwise blended into the background. The artwork works well with the story. And one added touch that they give us (or the author) is the fonts used. When the story switches to Russia the font style switches to a more Cyrillic style with the backwards n’s. My one minor quibble with the layout is that in some places there is a lot of dialogue crammed into the text books, at times making me feel like I had to strain my eyes to read what was going on. Otherwise it was laid out well.

Overall though this is an excellent book. And the best thing I can say about it is that T-Minus is one of those books that I wish I had around when I was just getting interested in space exploration. It explains everything clearly and presents both sides of the space race, American and Russian, very well for someone just getting into space exploration.

Bloort 138 is a biological scientist sent to Earth to look for answers to his world’s current health crisis. He is back and reporting on the science of genetics in terms that even the royal family can understand. He explains in some detail the importance of understand individual genetic histories, the roles of molecules, cells, dna, methods of genetic reproduction and manipulation. He briefly introduces issues including cloning and genetic engineering for the lay reader. Bloort 138’s detailed report uses Earth’s success with diversity to suggest a solution for the planet Gargal’s genetic problems.
Though this graphic novel is not a simple comic book, it does a good job clarifying some of the complex concepts of genetics and DNA. Dull lessons on the scientific explorations of Mendel, Darwin, Watson and Crick, and many others would be enhanced by supplementing them with Bloort 138’s explanations and understandable descriptions. Young adults with an interest in the science of genetics will find sidebars of information on specific people and concepts. They will also appreciate the suggested reading list and illustrated glossary. The black and white drawings are sometimes crowded but always thorough in depicting the facts and research questions of genetics making this an interesting read for even those readers who don’t especially like science. This is a recommended purchase for high school and public libraries. Grades 10 -12

Check out my review on No Flying, No Tights: http://noflyingnotights.com/?p=9869

Summary: In the late 1800s, America's "Wild West" was being settled, dinosaurs were all the rage, and two of the country's leading paleontologists spent most of their lives feuding over the bones that were being discovered in the West, and over the names and interpretations of the animals that left them behind. Edward Drinker Cope had the passion for fieldwork, collecting, and science to fuel his monomania, but Othniel Charles Marsh had the political and professional connections - and the money - needed to rise to preeminence in the field. This is a story of their years of trickery, theft, professional sniping, and personal backbiting, peopled with some of the major figures of the age, including P. T. Barnum, Buffalo Bill, and Ulysses S. Grant.

Review: I typically really enjoy the history of science, and while I'd heard Marsh and Cope's names before, theirs wasn't a story I knew. It turns out that it's a fascinating one, though; larger-than-life in a way that only stories from the Gilded Age can be. Between the two of them, they discovered almost 140 species of dinosaurs, including most of the best-known ones today; they were responsible for the original confusion regarding Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus; and their endless bickering via the scientific literature was the origin of page charges for publication, something that to this day haunts scientists who are trying to conserve grant money. This book isn't a work of straight non-fiction: Ottaviani plays a little bit loose with the facts when the narrative demands it, but the bare bones (hah!) of the story are intact, and there's an extensive "Fact or Fiction" section at the end where he explains the changes he's made.

Unfortunately, I still found the narrative a little jumpy and disjointed for my tastes. The graphic novel format is an interesting way to tell this story, and in a lot of ways it works: it gives an immediate sense of time and place that would be missing from straight prose. However, there are a lot of details that are crucial to understanding the story - particularly who the multitudes of supporting characters are, and why they're important - that just can't be covered in speech-balloon snippets of dialogue. I also had a hard time telling the minor characters apart; the main characters (Marsh and Cope and the painter Charles R. Knight) all have distinctive facial hair or glasses, but a lot of the other men in this story looked much the same, showed up without explanation for a few pages, and then disappeared just as suddenly. Otherwise, I really liked the artwork; it's visually appealing despite being in black and white, and the panels had a lot of detail without looking cluttered.

Overall, it was an easy and interesting introduction to a period of scientific history that I didn't know much about, but it wasn't smooth or complete enough to be entirely satisfying. 3 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: It was an interesting American counterpoint to the British dinosaur-finding of Remarkable Creatures. Recommended for those with an interest in Gilded Age history, paleontology, or non-fiction graphic novels, as long as they don't go in expecting too much depth.

I like the books that Jim Ottaviani writes. He tackles non-fiction subjects in a graphic novel format that allows the reader to learn from the art as well as the text. The story is still told, and is perhaps more accessible than a regular historical book.

This is the story of the race to the moon. The competition fueled by the Cold War is described complete with the tragedies that marred this great scientific achievement.

The story is easy to read, and is certainly augmented by the artwork of Zander and Kevin Cannon.

Don't be so quick to judge the historicity of books like this just because they include panels of drawings.

http://www.nonfictioncomics.net/2010/09/making-genetics-a-little-less-alien/

"The science fiction premise may cause some to take it less seriously, and the artists’ tendency to anthropomorphize the molecules in order to facilitate understanding sometimes obscures the actual chemical process—no good for those who are looking to study genetics beyond this primer. But for those who just need a solid conceptual understanding, this is a good way to go. Each step is delightfully illustrated, and when the content starts to get too heavy the writer is fully aware of the problem, having Floorish stop to summarize each section in case he (and we) missed anything.

At 142 pages (plus a glossary) The Stuff of Life may not seem long, but it’s one of the densest graphic books I’ve ever read. It treats its subject and its readers intelligently, and appropriately enough for a comic, with plenty of humor. Highly recommended."½