NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

What would you do to get a friend back who'd been kidnapped and placed into a video game? This is the tale of two best friends, one is taken and one seeks help from an unlikely source to get their friend back. I loved this and will share it with my gamers and graphic books lovers. The art was amazing as was the storyline.

The Accidental Warriors by Karl Fields, illustrated by David Velasquez. 2022.
Thank you Karl Fields for providing an e-book copy through NetGalley.
Rating: 1-5 (5 being a starred review) 3
Format: Ebook Graphic Novel
Genre: Fantasy
Who Would I Recommend This To: Middle grade kids
Review Date: 1/1/2023

The Accidental Warriors is an action-packed graphic novel following Jalen Banneker, a karate fighter who hides his own self-doubt through feigned confidence. When he and his best friend, Ram, witness someone close get kidnapped by a monster, the two are whisked away into a mystical, parallel universe full of magic, enemies, and sights to behold. And when Ram get kidnapped by the same monster, Jalen must tackle his lack of confidence head on and journey into the unknown lands to save his friend.

This comic book is fun, fast, and interesting, as readers get to embark through a dark, magical world of monsters, friendly villages, and interesting powers. The art style is dynamic and colorful, like retro graffiti art that really pops out of the page, making the entire story more exciting and visually entertaining. Jalen is Black and Ram is Asian (not sure what nationality). The pace is lightning fast - too fast really, to get good character development from Jalen or steady world building. Jalen didn’t seem to have confidence issues, but instead seemed more confused as to what was happening (which is normal when teleported to an unknown world). Overall, the comic is a good, short read for fantasy lovers.