Quincredible Vol. 1: Quest to be the Best (1)

Product Description
"Quincredible gets literally everything right." — Comics Beat\nInvulnerability is a pretty useless superpower if you’ve only got a one-hundred-pound frame to back it up. That’s what Quinton West’s life became when he went from “small guy who got beat up” to “small guy who can’t get hurt” after the meteor shower dubbed “The Event” gifted him the power of invulnerability, but no other powers to compliment it.\nBut there’s more to Quin than meets the eye, and after some encouragement from his new mentor—a local New Orleans–based superhero named Glow—Quin realizes that he can use his quirky hobby of creating Rube Goldberg devices to outsmart the opposition. But being a hero paints a target on your back, and Quin’s got to risk it all to join the ranks of the superheroes he looks up to. It’s a good thing he can take a punch.
From School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-New Orleans is hurting. The city has barely recovered from Hurricane Katrina when a meteor shower almost destroys it a second time-and ushers in a new era, in which ordinary citizens are imbued with superpowers. Black teen Quinton "Quin" West has the gift of invulnerability, yet he views his powers as useless, aside from making his beatings from bullies painless. Struggling to fit in, he is overwhelmed by mounting civil unrest in his New Orleans neighborhood and longs to save the world, starting with his family. When violence erupts at a rally to improve city conditions, Glow, who was also affected by the meteor shower, notices Quin's powers and urges him to join a group of other crime fighters and stabilize the city they love. But Quin must reckon with power structures that perpetuate racism and class warfare: Will his powers serve the people or add fuel to the fire? Barnes attempts to tackle racial disparity, generational poverty, and the nuances of power, but struggles to build equally developed characters to buoy the intense plot. Dynamic, saturated artwork showcases the beauty and grit of New Orleans and the diverse lives of its people. VERDICT Despite occasionally clunky storytelling, this series starter will prompt teens to ask how they can make the world a better place. Perfect for fans of "Ms. Marvel" and "Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man."-Elise Martinez, Racine, WIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review
"A fun, fresh adventure." ―
Kirkus\n"The creative team has clearly poured their heart and soul into the title." ―
Black Nerd Problems\n"[Quincredible] is a well-rounded work, with complex characterizations and a good story that understands that these aspects aren’t separate from the political and social ones, but intertwined, bouncing off each other and fashioning a reality from all these factors." ―
Comics Beat\n"
Quincredible is thoughtful, open-minded, and, most of all, fun." ―
Foreword Reviews\n"A perfect starting point for teens (and adults) looking to enter a fresh superhero universe." ―
Booklist
About the Author
Rodney Barnes is the award-winning writer/producer of HBO's Showtime, Hulu's Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Marvel's Runaways, Starz's American Gods, and a host of other television programs and films. He has also authored graphic novels for Lion Forge's Quincredible and Star Wars - Lando: Double or Nothing, as well as Falcon for Marvel Comics. He is now writing Killadelphia for Image Comics. Rodney resides in Los Angeles.\nSelina Espiritu is a freelance illustrator working from the Philippines with an enthusiasm for dogs and storytelling. She has worked on titles such as QUINCREDIBLE, published by Lion Forge, and BRAVE CHEF BRIANNA, by BOOM! Studios. Outside of comics, Espiritu's freelance work revolves around cover illustration and character design, for which she possesses a particular passion for. Otherwise, she amuses herself with her dogs, history books, and her work as an emergency medical technician.