Super weird and I loved it. I really liked the blocky art style and the idea of a romance built around karate. The characters were very unique and memorable.

Between the title and the cover art, no one is going to be surprised by the humorous nature of this book. It absolutely does not take itself seriously. This is basically the more madcap version of Scott Pilgrim. With a meathead, jerk villain, constant battles, and a strong fighter as a female character, this is a fun read. Nothing deep, but still quite enjoyable.

Ok, this was SUPER cute, but the art was just ugly and the violence, which was kind of the major plot point, was not to my taste.

Though I did LOVE the MC h and her banter with the MC H. I really liked that she was the more physically forward of the two and that he was being a gentleman with her. Chivalry is NOT dead Ladies and Gents! It just doesn't get as much screen time as the "Bad Boys".

This was cute and sweet, but the violence and ugly art brought it down from 4 to 3 stars for me.

3, if only it was prettier and not quite so violent, stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and First Second Books for an eARC of this book to read and review.

A karate competition Senior year forever changes Don’s life when he falls in love with Samantha, the girl who knocks him out of the competition, and someone sends hitmen to beat them up at prom, and then they accidentally enrage a mafia family at the after-party.

This feels like something dreamt up by the guys who came up with Napoleon Dynamite or Dumb and Dumber. It’s quirky, sarcastic, super goofy, and tailored for a niche audience that will love it with a blazing fervor. I personally don’t quite fit in the niche audience, but I can think of a couple readers who might. Hand this to the right reader who has just the right kind of humor and they’ll probably sleep with it under their pillow for the rest of their lives.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]:
Language: I don’t remember anything.
Sexual content: 3 or 4 m/f kisses on page. Nothing further.
Violence: There are LOTS of fight scenes. Lots and lots of them. Most people just get bruises, at worst some broken or dislocated limbs. (They are rather cartoon-like in their longevity.)
Ethnic diversity: A variety of skin tones included in the characters whose names we learn. The crime family is Italian.
LGBTQ+ content: The epilogue says 2 guy friends get married (until then I thought they were brothers).
Other: The good guys fight in defense, bad guys out for revenge for little things.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Everybody was kung fu fighting . . .

And . . . that's about it.

I would have preferred more PROM and less KARATE, but I'm not really the target audience for this one.

If you're looking for some fun, silliness, and tons of action - this one's got it all.

This goofy graphic novel packs a punch of pure silliness. The story follows Don and Sam from their first encounter at a martial arts tournament to prom, an after-party, and graduation, at which wilder and wilder events unfold.

The romance between the two stays sweet and absolutely adorable, a perfect contrast to the posturing, bullying, and fist-flying of other characters and scenes. Though there’s a lot of martial arts-style combat, the illustrations stay cartoonish, showing reddened skin after a hit connects, and blue shadows for bruises.

Though the story doesn’t center around a moral value, the ending does impart a positive lesson about teamwork and working together to fight even in the face of overwhelming odds. This is a joyful, hilarious summer read perfect for fans of martial arts and classic high school moments.

I loved the artwork and the main characters way of thinking! I loved the parts of karate sprinkled in and the friends!

When Don Jones has to fight Sam Steadman in competition, he gets knocked out. Literally and figuratively - Sam wins the fight and Don becomes completely smitten. Their love story is told in three parts: prom, prom after party, and graduation. And during each part, readers will see all that makes their relationship special. Including their fighting skills.

This book is a fun, goofy read. Full of dynamic, action-packed fighting scenes, wacky characters full of personality, and a believable romance, this is a graphic novel anyone can enjoy.

Karate Prom follows Don Jones and Sam Steadman, a pair of karate kids that meet at a tournament and decide to go to prom together. Despite being excited for the big night and getting to know each other more, they have to battle a mixture of exes, bullies, and ninja cronies. This book reminded me of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World with the novel following a budding romance that is being challenged with exes and enemies wanting to break them up. The story was fun and adventurous appealing to a younger audience through its action sequences, setting, humor, and semi-relatable (mostly exaggerated) drama. While I do think the story is fun and will do well with its target audience, I am rating this book 3 stars simply because I do not think that I am the target audience and wasn't feeling spectacularly about the story. I tend to fly through graphic novels but I found myself struggling to finish, feeling like the story was longer than necessary. For those familiar with the author, they may enjoy the story and understand the writing style and humor better.


Content Warnings: violence, attempted murder, and light sexual jokes

Don Jones was knocked-out when he first met Sam Steadman at a karate match. But that did not stop him from pursuing her until they ended up at her prom together. But along that pursuit, Don had really annoyed Luke, Sam's ex-boyfriend, who vowed revenge at the prom. Surviving that fight, Don and Sam went to the after party where Astor, Don's ex-girlfriend, who belongs to a crime family makes an appearance. Of course there will be a fight! The question is who will survive it? Will Don and Sam actually make it to graduation or will they be tossed out in a heap before Pomp and Circumstances can be played! Read and find out!

Thanks Netgalley and First Second Books for the pleasure of reading this title!

This was fun! I'm not a bit graphic novel reader, but I can definitely see this being perfect for middle schoolers. It's got tons of action sequences, some humor, and a bit of an outlandish plot that did make it a fun and quick read!

Karate at prom? Yes, please! This book is such a fun book, there really isn’t any other way to explain it. It is like Karate Kid or Cobra Kai met a high school prom 80s movie!

This is fun! Very much a romp that will be appealing to fans of One Punch Man, martial arts, or what it's like to have a crush on someone as a teenager. The art will not be for everyone, but it is fairly easy to follow the dialogue and action. Also, a great choice for a book with a charatcter of color, which does not directly deal with racism.

Talk about AN ADVENTURE! This was such a wild ride. Every time you'd think it was over, BOOM. (Literally!) ANOTHER SNEAK ATTACK.

And the end! I love that we find out what happened to everyone over the years. That's so much fun. It's like a yearbook in that way.

Overall, super fun and full of excitement.

I wasn't expecting much from "Karate Prom," but it is genuinely hilarious. Reminiscent of "Scott Pilgrim," two teens have to team up and fight villians and exes while attending the prom. FIghting and hijinks ensue!

KARATE PROM is the story of a pair of teens who meet at a martial arts tournament and decide to go to prom together, only to be targeted by a vengeful ex-boyfriend and his cronies.

Silly in the best way! I love Kyle Starks writing and Karate Prom is no exception.

Karate Prom was cute but strange. Which is the right equation for some readers but doesn't happen to be my jam.

The art on the cover is what made me want to read it and it was okay. It was a little confusing and mixed a lot of elements and felt like it didn't complete most of them.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm unsure about this one. The premise sounded so fun but I don't think it fully delivered. I couldn't figure out who the demographic was. It fluctuated between young to teens with the dialogue and the themes. It was confusing.
The art and the action sequence were great though.

3 stars

Everything readers need to know about this one is in the title: karate and prom = Karate Prom.

The illustrations and action scenes - and there are many of these - are the highlights of this short and hilarious graphic novel. The epilogue is also a nice touch. I would have loved more of a plot and/or some kind of character development to go along with the other fun parts.

Fans of Starks's very well-known work will enjoy some of the familiarity, but those who are new to this realm may wish for a bit more.