Graphic novel adaptation of middle grade sci-fi series Animorphs
The novelty of my favourite series as a ten year old being adapted into graphic novels has not yet worn off, and I eagerly ordered the next one for my Short Stack Reading Challenge.
Photo is of “Animorphs the Graphic Novel: The Encounter” by K. A. Applegate and Michael Grant, and adapted by Chris Grine. The paperback book is standing in front of a gnarled tree trunk. Behind it is a small lake with trees and mountains reflected in the water. There is a white feather in the foreground. The cover is of a young blonde kid falling backwards into the eye of a bird of prey.
“Animorphs The Graphic Novel: The Encounter” adapted by Chris Grine is based on the science fiction middle grade novel of the same name: the third book in the “Animorphs” series by K. A. Applegate and Michael Grant. Trapped in the body of a red-tailed hawk, Tobias discovers a Yeerk ship while exploring the skies. He and the Animorphs develop a risky plan to disable it, however Tobias is struggling to grapple with his hawk instincts and the prospects of living the rest of his life this way.
This is an especially grim chapter in the Animorphs series which poses tough questions about what it is to be human and balancing risk against reward. Tobias struggles considerably with his mental health and his new identity, and it is his friends who are able to intervene and talk him off the proverbial ledge. Grine does a really good job capturing these challenging emotions through illustrations.
I didn’t have any clear memories of reading this book and revisiting the story, I’m not surprised. The setting and morphs were a bit unexciting, and the book is really more of a character study of Tobias after he is trapped in morph.
I definitely prefer the books with more interesting morphs, settings or aliens and I’m looking forward to how Grine interprets later books in the series.
Graphic novel adaptation of middle grade sci-fi series Animorphs
Somehow after reading this book, I managed to forget to review it, so here it is out of sync. I was so excited when I heard the “Animorphs” series was being adapted as graphic novels. I’m still trying to complete my collection of the original series (though I am getting a bit closer) and I will be making sure I collect all of these, but equally I am enjoying them and I’m keen to space them out and savour them as much as possible.
Image is of “Animorphs The Graphic Novel: The Visitor” based on the novel by K. A. Applegate and Michael Grant, and adapted by Chris Grine. The paperback graphic novel is sitting in front of a pet carrier. The cover is of a blonde girl in a green shirt and sweats carrying a red sports bag. Behind her are alien shadows against a green brick wall, and at the top are four images of her morphing into a cat.
““Animorphs The Graphic Novel: The Visitor” adapted by Chris Grine is based on the science fiction middle grade novel of the same name: the second book in the “Animorphs” series by K. A. Applegate and Michael Grant. The Animorphs are starting to get used to their new morphing powers, and Tobias is beginning to get used to permanently being a red-tailed hawk, but the threat of the Yeerks is ongoing. Although the way to the Yeerk pool is now closed, the Animorphs have discovered that their assistant principal is a controller: a host to a Yeerk. Rachel was friends with his daughter Melissa, and the Animorphs have to work out how to use that connection to get inside the assistant principal’s house.
This was another really fun adaptation with plenty of action and plenty of heart. Rachel was always described as this effortless beauty in the original books with this undercurrent of toughness, and I like her character design because it strikes an excellent balance between a typical Western beauty standard and the steeliness of a warrior. I also really liked this book because it straightaway rounds out Rachel’s character showing some of her hobbies, friendships and her compassion. I also found it quite amusing that early on, everyone looks absolutely gross while morphing except for Cassie and I look forward to seeing more of that.
There are already two more books out so I am very excited to get stuck into them.
Graphic novel adaptation of middle grade sci-fi series Animorphs
As I have mentioned on this blog previously, I was a HUGE fan of this series when I was a kid. I’m still trying to complete my collection after cancelling my monthly Scholastic subscription, but when I saw that a graphic novel adaptation had recently been released I had to go out and buy it. I’ve been on a bit of a sci-fi graphic novel kick and I’m not even sorry.
Image is of “Animorphs The Graphic Novel: The Invasion” based on the novel by K. A. Applegate and Michael Grant, and adapted by Chris Grine. The paperback graphic novel is sitting in front of the “Animorphs” series arranged chronologically on a bookshelf. The cover has five kids standing on a slope watching pink lights in the sky in the bottom with the top quarter depicting a boy morphing into a lizard.
“Animorphs The Graphic Novel: The Invasion” adapted by Chris Grine is based on the science fiction middle grade novel of the same name: the first book in the “Animorphs” series by K. A. Applegate and Michael Grant. In this book, five kids who loosely know each other are forever bound together when they take a shortcut through a construction site coming home from the mall. While crossing through, they witness the landing of an spaceship and meet Elfangor, a dying alien from the Andalite species. Elfangor warns Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel and Tobias about an invasion that is already taking place on planet earth by a parasitic alien species called Yeerks and grants them the only weapon available: the ability to morph. Calling themselves the Animorphs, they must acquire the DNA of different animals and try to infiltrate a secret organisation recruiting humans as hosts and try to stop the Yeerks from enslaving the entire human race.
This is a great adaptation of the original book and Grine has done a great job staying true to the original story and dialogue while still bringing his own spin. Grine has kept the story set in the same time, the late 1990s, with that real mallrat flavour of walkmans, jumpers tied around waists and phones with cords. My initial response to the art style was that it felt a bit childish with thick, bold linework but then I remembered I’m not actually the target audience. With that in mind, I think it’s actually perfect for kids with a great balance between clarity and detail. I really liked the use of different shaped speech bubbles to distinguish between speech and thought-speak, and I also really liked that Grine allocated each character a different colour to help readers keep track of who was speaking in thought-speak. I also felt like some of the things that I had struggled to imagine like the Sharing and the Yeerk pool were illustrated really well, and I liked the take on the alien species, especially the Andalites.
I think probably the one part that I was a little disappointed with was the depiction of morphing. I completely see what Grine is doing, making it look a bit gross and unsettling which is certainly how it is described in the books. I also understand that with a graphic novel, you are just getting a snapshot, and each panel is highlighting a single moment in the uncomfortable, awkward morphing process. However, I think when I imagined morphing, it was a little less goofy and a little more awesome. A little more flipbook animation and a little less flailing.
This graphic novel had plenty of nostalgia but an original enough take that the story felt fresh and appealing to younger audiences. I can’t wait until more of the series is released.
Tinted Edges 