Flight Volume Five (Flight Graphic Novels) (Paperback)

by Kazu Kibuishi (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The Flight anthology series has often been accused of being uneven, and this fifth installment will do nothing to change that—there are a handful of gems scattered through some very forgettable vignettes. Tony Cliff's The Aqueduct is an appealing blend of steampunk and Arabian Nights with a good sense of humor; Reagan Lodge's The Dragon also blends genres, skillfully swirling samurai action into a giant robo story. Sarah Mensinga's The Changeling is a standout thanks to a simple, understated story and a warm color palette. Also excellent is the poignant Beisbol 2, in which a little boy learns that heroes don't always behave like heroes. For pure self-referential silliness, though, the high point might just be Ryan North's Scenes in Which the Earth Stops Spinning and Everybody Flies into a Wall, which is exactly what its name suggests, but with an elegant twist at the end. Many stories, though, feel either unfinished or inconsequential, like Sonny Liew's brief meditation on what it means to be a robot and Matthew Bernier's tale of vanishing mountains. It is a handsome volume, however, and the beautiful art throughout is a pleasure in its own right. (July)
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From Booklist
With 21 fantasy and sf stories by a talented group of mostly young artists, the fifth Flight maintains the anthology series’ consistent high quality. In fact, Flight may be too consistent for its long-term good. Many standouts here are by creators who stood out in previous volumes, such as Michael Gagné, who now concludes his saga of the heroic young fox Rex; Sonny Liew, who offers another charming Malinky Robot tale; and Scott Campbell, who reprises the delightfully wacky Igloo Head and Tree Head. While the minimal, fantasy-based story lines retain their charm, their plucky young protagonists are beginning to feel overfamiliar. Newcomer Svetlana Chmakova’s manga-influenced portrayal of an insistent girl trying to convince her disparaging classmates that she is a space princess from Pluto, however, offers a new take on the favorite Flight theme of determined youngster battling imposing odds. Flight has recently broadened its franchise with an offshoot, Flight Explorer, for a younger audience, but despite a growing reliance on formula, the original continues to be an all-ages delight. --Gordon Flagg

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Villard (July 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345505891
• ISBN-13: 978-0345505897
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #100,590 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Comic Anthology, August 18, 2008

By	Akachei - See all my reviews

The Flight Anthology - an anthology of short comics from people with an art background - is now up to the fifth volume. It's a wonderfully creative book - many of the artists are returning, but they still keep it fresh, and all of them are quite talented.

Like the last few volumes, it starts off with Michel Gagne's ongoing wordless "Rex" tale, as good as ever; in general the writing effectively complements the wonderful art, even if it never reaches the same level. A few of them are flawed - "Seasons" is a little long, "Voyage" a little obvious, and "Delilah Dirk and the Aqueduct" and "N" weren't that interesting, but otherwise even the simpler stories (there are 21 in total) work.

And the art is outstanding. Kazu Kibuishi (here "The Courier") never seems to disappoint; Reagan Lodge's "The Dragon", Sarah Mesinga's "The Changeling" were particularly beautiful. The latter and J.P. Ahonen's "Worry Dolls" had quite neat stories as well. As a whole, Volume 5 is one of the better volumes of the "Flight" series, and a very inventive comic anthology.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The premier comics anthology, September 26, 2008

By	Steven E. Higgins "vacuumboy9" (Florissant, MO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A few months ago I wrote a review of the first volume of Flight Explorer in which I wondered if the introduction of that anthology specifically aimed at children would alter the content of its parent anthology, Flight, in any way. Now, having read the most recent volume of Flight (released back in July), I would have to say that the anthology's focus might have slightly shifted but that this fifth edition is still true to the roots it established in its previous incarnations.

The stories in Flight Vol. 5 are slightly more grown up than previous collections. Violence is prevalent in several of the stories such as "N." and "The Dragon," and in both of those stories the violence has deadly consequences. However in neither case, nor in any of the other adventure stories contained within the anthology, is the violence gratuitous, just a natural aspect of the plot, and they would still be appropriate for younger readers.

Several stories in the collection were still definitely aimed at an "all-ages" audience. The Jellaby story "Lost" is one such example, as is the story "Disguise" featuring Igloo Head and Tree Head. But adult readers will find incredible charm in each of these stories. In particular, the silliness found in the latter example, though intended for younger readers, is such that older audiences will have a good laugh at it as well.

Click for a larger image.Meanwhile other stories have content or deal with subjects that skew a little bit older. "Evidence" deals with a man's dog digging up skeletal remains and the man having to dispose of them in another way, implying with its title that the man is covering up a crime he has committed. "The Changeling" involves an unwanted pregnancy and how such scenarios were dealt with in a previous era, while "Two Kids" features a young girl running away from her parents because they are getting a divorce. Younger children might have problems digesting some of this subject matter, but still the stories are in no way inappropriate for them. In fact, due to the manner in which each story approaches its subject-"Evidence" with humor, "The Changeling" with fantasy elements, and "Two Kids" with its child protagonist's point of view-they would each be excellent ways to expose children to these sensitive subjects for the purpose of further discussion.

Each story will hit or miss with readers depending upon their personal preferences, but there is literally something here for everyone to enjoy. Even stories that didn't appeal to my interests as a reader were still of the utmost quality. The highlight of the collection for me was "Beisbol 2" by Richard Pose. At over forty pages long, it is one of the longest stories in the collection, and it is a beautifully drawn, very heartwarming tale about the passion sports can invoke in fans and players alike. Joey Weiser's "Timecat" is also highly recommended for any cat lover.

If I had to quibble with anything in the anthology, I would complain about the lettering in "The Dragon," which seemed a little sloppy to me, too amateurish. Also the artwork in the final story "Seasons: Frank and Frank" was a bit overly simplistic, with its repeated backgrounds and its thinly sketched characters. But those two problems are very minor and are only really noticeable if you're looking for something to criticize. All in all, Flight's reputation as the premier comic anthology remains intact, as this fifth volume is virtually perfect.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was a great gift for my two sons!, January 12, 2009

By	D. B. Coppoletti "LynnDee" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My 22 year old son asked for this as a gift - after reading the another volume of Flight. I went ahead and ordered two - one for my other son (24)- since they both love graphic novels and are graphic artists themselves. They both were very appreciative when they received the books for Christmas. The art work is very creative and imaginative - and the book features lots of different artists with varied styles. I highly recommend this book for any person who appreciates this genre.