The Lightbearer

Son of Light is the first book in the Lightbearer comic series. In just 21 pages the reader is introduced to Tomiwa. Tomiwa is just a 13-year-old student trying to survive school, family expectations, and everyday life in the city of Lagos. However, he sees things that no one else can see. Strange moments begin to happen. Shadows that move when they shouldn't, silence that falls when everything should be loud, and a feeling that he is being watched. Then one day, everything changes. A mysterious figure rescued him from a car accident. This figure is always calm and radiant. He has been watching Tomiwa for a long time.

I am not sure who or what the figure is. He is most likely an angel but I also wondered if he was Jesus. The story seems to show that there is a hidden battle happening around us every day. The battle is between light and darkness that most people cannot see. Tomiwa can see it though. I believe Tomiwa is a lightbearer. Lightbearers are people who embody and share goodness, virtue, and positive impact, regardless of religious affiliation. They are people who step in to help others, act with integrity, and stand up for what's right, even in small ways.

I am definitely interested in reading more of the series. We rarely see a comic that embodies goodness. Written by Samson Awobusuyi, the comic offers us a new kind of African superhero. According to the publisher the series has African storytelling, a superhero origin drama, a spiritual mystery and a faith-inspired themes of light overcoming darkness. It was published on March 7, 2026. I cannot wait to read the next release of this series. 

5 out of 5 stars.

Shang-Chi

I don't know why I didn't read this comic when it was first published in 2021. Gene Luen Yang is a favorite cartoonist of mine but I don't normally read super-hero stories. I finally read the book and it was fantastic. This book collects the following releases: Shang-Chi (2020) #1-5, Shang-Chi (2021) #1-12, Marvel's Voices: Identity (2021) #1 (Shang-Chi story), Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings (2022) #1-6, Shang-Chi: Master of the Ten Rings (2023) #1.

The publisher's summary:

The comic-book saga of Shang-Chi and the legendary Ten Rings. An ancient and evil secret society has remained in hiding since the death of their leader, Zheng Zu. But now a successor has been chosen: Zheng Zu's son, Shang-Chi! In a fractious family reunion, Shang-Chi gets to know the siblings he never knew he had! But who among them can he trust - and who is trying to kill him? As Shang-Chi assumes his rightful place as the leader of the Five Weapons Society, his fellow super heroes - including Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four - start to see him as the bad guy! And when he gains control of the massively powerful Ten Rings, every bounty hunter and assassin in the Marvel Universe is determined to take them from him!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book so perhaps I should reconsider my bias against super-hero stories. The artwork was exquisite and I loved all of the monsters. Dike Ruan did a great job drawing the comic book panels. Sebastian Cheng was the colorist and he added bright colors to every page. 

Shang-Chi is an awesome story and is suitable for kids. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Black Ghost: Hard Revolution

This graphic novel is a short, 135 page super-hero story. I selected it for the Color Coded Reading Challenge. I have been struggling to finish my reading challenges this year and am thrilled to find a short read that meets the requirements of the challenge. This Season One edition collects releases 1 through 5 in a print for the first time. It was published in 2020.

In the story Lara Dominguez is a troubled City of Creighton police reporter who is obsessed with the city's debonair vigilante, the Black Ghost. With the help of a mysterious cyber-informant named Lone, she is getting closer to uncovering the Ghost's identity. But as she searches for the breakthrough story that she desperately needs, Lara will have to navigate the corruption of her city, the uncertainties of virtue, and her own personal demons. The question is whether she will have the strength to be part of the solution or will she become the problem?

There was plenty of suspense in this mystery. Each release ended with a bang and that kept me interested enough in the plot to continue reading. The book is a blend of the crime noir and vigilante superhero genres. Lara is an alcoholic, lesbian vigilante who takes on the Black Ghost identity after the previous Black Ghost was killed in action. Our heroine is always drunk or has a hangover. She abandoned all her other journalist assignments to pursue the vigilante in the night and loses her job as a result. Also, Lara has a lot of family history to process concerning the death of her brother and all of this impedes her judgement. In addition, Lara also finds time to teach night GED classes and this where she meets Ernesto, who becomes her unlikely partner. 

Lara is a great character. She is tough physically and is a fabulous investigative rreporter. I also liked Ernesto. He played a small role on these releases but I can see he is going to be a good sidekick for Lara. He met Lara in a GED class that she was teaching. This is an odd dimension to her character but I assume it will be drawn upon in later editions. Other characters were either co-workers or the villains the Black Ghost is fighting.

The story had a light feel and was a fun, relaxing read. Season 2 of the story is out and I am definitely going to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Primer

Oh my goodness! What a fabulous story.  I read this 130 page comic twice in one day and a third time the next day. I just love it.  The vibrant colored illustrations are what initially attracted me to the book but it has a creative plot that will keep you reading.  

Ashley Rayburn is an upbeat girl with a downbeat past.  Her father is in jail and once used her to help him evade justice. However, someone got killed and he is incarcerated in a federal prison.  In the meantime, Ashley has bounced from foster home to foster home and is a challenge for her social workers.  Her latest set of foster parents are Kitch and Yuka Nolan. Kitch, like Ashley, is an artist and he has a groovy sixties vibe.  Yuka is a geneticist who works for a tech company with a government contract. Yuka's top secret project has her concerned and she brings the project home so that her superiors can't get ahold of it.  It is a set of body paints that when applied to the skin grants the wearer a wide range of special powers.  When Ashley comes home from school, she sees the set of paints and thinks that it is a surprise birthday present for her.  Ashley soon realizes that she has stumbled upon something dangerous but she decides that she can use the paints for good and appoints herself a superhero with a new name, Primer.

I am the type of artist called a colorist.  That means I use an excessive amount of color and do not follow color theory.  Primer had me swooning with its colorful illustrations. It inspired me to get back to work after falling behind for a few days.

The characters all had very different but strong personalities. Ashley is a comedian who can't stop cracking jokes. She always has a positive attitude even though life has dealt her an awful hand. Her friend Luke is also quite positive even though he is an outcast at school. Ashley is an outcast too and that is why she and Luke get along so well. The Nolans are a modern couple.  Kitch is a professional artist and works out of the home. Wife Yuka is the breadwinner. Although Primer is a comic, these characters are fully fleshed out.

I wish that this was the start of a new comic series but I believe that it is a stand-alone novel for young adults.  5 out of 5 stars. 

Green Lantern Legacy

I did not read the original Green Lantern series as I was not yet interested in comics when it was published. Green Lantern Legacy is an off-shoot of the series and fuses the past storyline of the series with a brand new story.  The author, who is a Vietnamese American, has featured an Asian American hero in Tai Pham. Tai Pham is thirteen years old and lives in an apartment above his grandmother's store, the Jade Market. After she dies, Tai Pham learns about a big secret that his grandmother had and it changes his life. After he inherits her jade ring, Tai suddenly discovers that it inducts him into a group of space cops called Green Lanterns. As he learns how to use its power, Tai meets many new characters as his friends encourage him to use the ring wisely.  He also discovers that his neighborhood is overrun with racist bullies.  He is not sure if he can overcome them but begins to learn how to harness the ring's power to defeat them.

I really enjoyed this comic.  While it was written for young readers, this sixtysomething reader found it enheartening.  It's a story of overcoming disadvantages in life and how to deal with racism but told in a friendly, non-threatening way. The brightly colored illustrations also give this serious topic a light feel. The age old American idea that with power comes responsibility is also seen here. There are many lessons young readers can learn from this book. I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars.