Nimona by Noelle Stevenson [Graphic Novel]

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Ballister Blackheart, a kind-hearted supervillain, gains a new sidekick when Nimona, a shapeshifter in the (sometimes) shape of a young girl, simply insists. Nimona seems to be interested only in mischief, villainy and fun. Blackheart has little patience for her antics but they learn to get along and become a family of sorts, and a team that may just be capable of bringing down The Institution. Blackheart and Nimona each have their own rules, though, and their own complicated pasts.

Noelle Stevenson’s graphic novel, first released as a webcomic, is a delightful read. The artwork is inviting with simple expressive lines, and beautiful colorwork in a subdued palate. Nimona can be a mouse or a lion, a boy or a girl, a squirrel or a dragon. This makes for a very fun to read comic, as we learn to recognize Nimona in her many forms, and of course Nimona’s shape shifting comes in handy in the pair’s many schemes. The story is touching and humorous, though it’s the characters that keep you turning the pages. If you are anything like me you will finish wanting more.