Cryptozoo Crew, Volume 1 (Cryptozoo Crew 1) [Paperback]

Allan Gross (Author), Jerry Carr (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Cryptozoo Crew 1 | Publication Date: July 2005

We start on another tangent of the vast world of Dungeon, one that relates the origins of it. In this first story of the Early Years, you will see the Keeper barely an adult and leaving his family to go find fortune in a time of chaos and darkness... Blain illustrates on a story by Trondheim and Sfar. Fun, adventure, suspense and... wry satire. The first volume has already sold out of its first printing!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up–A zany collection of adventures starring brawny but intellectual cryptozoologist Tork Darwyn and his blond bombshell of a wife, Tara. They come up against all kinds of creatures, carnivorous plants, and the ever-elusive Yeti while searching for new and unknown species in the jungles of the world. The book features constant back and forth between Tork and Tara that points out the differences between men and women, puns galore, and eye-catching black-and-white art. The typeface is large and easy to read, the dialogue bubbles are crisp, and there is no question of who is speaking. The stories will appeal to a variety of ages and some are laugh-out-loud funny. More lighthearted than some other graphic novels out there, this one fills the goofy niche nicely.–Melissa T. Jenvey, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Cryptozoo Crew promises wacky adventures, loony characters and critters, and lousy puns; and it delivers on all counts. For Tork Darwyn's work as a leading cryptozoologist takes him far afield. As campy heroes go, it's hard not to imagine that Tork sounds just like Adam West's Batman. Finally, Tork's schoolteacher wife, Tara, who is often dragged along on Tork's assignments through the ruse of vacation, plays a smart, unflappable verbal foil to him. From searching for yeti in the Himalayas to finding mothmen in rural Virginia, Tork's escapades yield many wacky results. Gross' tongue-in-cheek writing is well complemented by Carr's bold, quirky art. In the post X-Files world, it's hard not to love Tork and Tara's madcap Mulder and Scully. Tina Coleman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing (July 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561634379
• ISBN-13: 978-1561634378
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,130,803 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Read, February 10, 2011

By 

caninesrock - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cryptozoo Crew, Volume 1 (Cryptozoo Crew 1) (Paperback)

I read this at the library and it had me hooked. I usually don't like graphic novels much because must of them are your typical superhero genre,but this one offered something new and fresh. While not particulary hilarious, it was mildly amusing in the humor department. But in spite of it not delivering much in its calms to be hilarious, it makes up for it in other ways. Even without humor, it's sheer wackiness and originality is enough to keep you hooked.

About the Content. It features:
1.Swamp of Horrors-A medium length story about gaint venus fly traps.
2.The Clan of the Cavemonkeys-a somewhat short story about cave monkeys
3.Improbable Snowman-another medium length story about the Yeti
4.Beneath the City of the Skunk Apes-a somewhat short story about Skunk Apes
5.A 2 part Story:Curse of the Mothman Plus Bride of the Mothman-a long story about mothman.
6.Here's Looking At You Squid-a very short story about gaint squid.
and last
7.Beyond Venus and Mars-a medium length story that features several different creatures in two second spotlight and mostly focuses on Tork.The chupacabras get the most spotlight though.

2.0 out of 5 stars Cute, but no depth, June 11, 2006

By 

Kevin Diesel Decent - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cryptozoo Crew, Volume 1 (Cryptozoo Crew 1) (Paperback)

This book is a cute read, quick but cute. It's really just filler with a couple of funny ideas along the way. There's not too much depth to it. This idea would be good as a daily comic strip but is too close to a one trick pony to last the length of a graphic novel.

5.0 out of 5 stars A raucous, exciting, and more than a little satirical graphic novel, September 11, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cryptozoo Crew, Volume 1 (Cryptozoo Crew 1) (Paperback)

Cryptozoo Crew, Volume 1 is a raucous, exciting, and more than a little satirical graphic novel following a handsome, brawny, gung-ho cryptozoologist and his stunningly beautiful not to mention ruthlessly resourceful wife. Together their voyages of discovery pit them against chupacabra, cave monkeys, carnivorous plants, skunk apes, yeti, and many more monstrous denizens of terrible jungles in which no man can bear to ask for directions and listen to the answer. Tongue-in-cheek humor, rip-snortin' black-and-white action, and a lighthearted nod to many pulp adventure comics in the past make Cryptozoo Crew, Volume 1 just plain fun cover to cover, and leave the reader hungry for more.