From Publishers Weekly
Mars is a typical small Southern town where bored, constrained teens kill time vandalizing things and robbing graves. These acts are delivered with the fearless bravado of people who think they have nothing to live for, but Spears shows the redeeming power of art and true love. The story's hero, Macon, is a comic artist who's just been fired from Mallmart for sassing his manager. He meets his punk dream girl, Madison, in the most un-cute way possible: she needs to use the bathroom while he's throwing up during a party. Drawn to each other's outsider status and anarchic tendencies, they find love while standing up to the mayor, who has shut down the local comic store, confiscated Macon's art and encouraged book burnings. Spears captures the frustrations and dreams of daily life while artist Rob G. beautifully realizes the variety of scenes that include such fresh set pieces as a party where everyone is made up like a zombie. The moody, cinematic art is manga-like in its simplicity and flow. The creators have an amazing ability to bring a sense of imagination to the mundane (in one example, G. enlivens a scene of characters watching a movie, interweaving the screen images, film dialogue and audience interjections). This is a coming-of-age love story bursting with memorable characters and scenes.
(Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up–Mars is a stereotypical small town with two strong factions: teens beginning to flex their vibrant sense of independence through zombie-themed parties, rock music, and comic books, and conservative adults who want to stem the kids' independence and fun. The story opens when Macon, a budding author and illustrator of comic books, gets fired from Mallmart for refusing to remove comic books from the display shelves. That night, he meets Madison, a beautiful and headstrong punk girl who seems capable of just about anything. Spurred on by her infectious energy and his frustration, the two take their revenge on Mallmart by knocking down a sign, breaking a few windows, and spray-painting their calling card across the outside wall: Comic Book Liberation Army. The townsfolk fear the worst, with the mayor leading the charge by closing down comic-book shops and confiscating collections from people's homes. Macon and Madison fight for their cause, defending the artwork and stories that they both enjoy. Although at times campy and over-the-top, the story tackles censorship in ways similar to Ray Bradbury's
Fahrenheit 451 (Ballantine, 1953). Through methods of exaggeration and metaphor, Spears shows how easily irrational fears can drive a community to do terrible things. He does a particularly good job in showing how Macon and Madison's love for one another grows as they get deeper into trouble. The exaggerated poses, skewed angles, and dramatic expressions of Rob G.'s art work well with Macon's angst and excitement, as well as with the climax.
–Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
