Comic Break: Ender's Shadow Battle School #1 (Marvel)

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Ender's Shadow Battle School
Issue: #1
Writer: Mike Carey
Artist: Sebastian Fiumara
32 pp. Marvel. $3.99

Reviewed by Paul Stotts

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“Your kids are so malnourished that they suffer severe mental degradation before you even begin testing them. Most of them haven’t formed any normal human bonds. They’re so messed up, they can’t get through a day without finding something they can steal, break, or disrupt.”—Ender’s Shadow Battle School #1

Marvel recently has made a cottage industry of adapting Orson Scott Card’s Ender novels. It’s dangerous territory for Marvel. There are legions of Ender Wiggins fans who don’t want to see the classic SF series urinated on in the name of a quick buck. Fortunately Marvel has risen to the challenge.

Writer Christopher Yost and artist Pasqual Ferry have done a tremendous job on the first two issues of the recently released Ender’s Game Battle School. And now Mike Carey—the author of the excellent Felix Castor novels—and artist Sebastian Fiumara have followed with a homerun of their own with Ender’s Shadow Battle School.

Groups of street urchins roam the streets of Rotterdam, stealing small bits of food to survive. Bullied by the larger kids, the younger children must band together. One of these young kids, a malnourished runt called Bean, suggests that the group seek out a protector, a bully who will fight for them in exchange for food. It’s a good plan until the group ignores Bean’s suggestions and picks Achilles. That’s when things start to go terribly wrong.

Carey and Fiumara do an incredible job in the first issue adapting the tone of the novel. Their respect for the source material is evident in every panel. Fiumara’s artwork—with a huge assist from colorist Giulia Brusco—is stunning, unique and memorable in style and composition. The character design is wonderful, each character distinctive and consistently drawn. The debut issue is a tremendous artistic achievement, hopefully one Fiumara will continue in future issues.

Marvel should be credited for choosing creative teams that have given a unique look to both series. Nothing looks quite like them. Add to this top-notch writing talent adapting the novels and you have a winner. Highly recommended.

Final Grade: 84 out of 100

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Comic Break: Ender’s Game Battle School #1 (Marvel)
Comic Break: Ender’s Game Battle School #2 (Marvel)