This story is epic! It's like I'm watching a show I can't look away from and love energy second of it! Finding a comic with plot, art, characters, and content that I love is pretty difficult. Especially when trying to find one that's a 5 on the pristine rating scale. But this one did it, and I'm living for it!
We have two girls living as indentured servants on a farm. We meet Kayla as she journeys into the dangerous forest that most people avoid. She has a giant toad friend there who she rides to journey through the forest to get hard to find items for her owner.  When they realize paying off their debts will be impossible, Kayla makes a bet if she wins the race qualifier for her lord due and her friend go free. Debts paid.
The race is deadly. Reminds me of the speeder races in Star Wars, but with cool fantasy creatures instead.

When Kayla wins her and her friend are free, but now what? As war orphans they have no home, no food, no money. So when a rich old farmer asks Kayla to join his team of riders and continue with the races she agrees. Her and Mal are off on a new adventure. At the farm they make new friends, learn about all kinds of magic, see the world, and of course continue to race.
I love the found family that seems to be forming in this story.
I love the found family that seems to be forming in this story.
We are left on a cliff hanger with much bigger stakes at play than Kayla currently realizes. You see the race is supposed to be for finding the next emperorl like rulers of the land. Riders former teams of three, the winning trio becomes the next rulers  together. A checks and balance system to replace the current emperor who came into power by war. But for decades, no one has won. Perhaps because the current emperor/ khan doesn't want them to? And there may be an magical reason for why Kayla is so good with animals. I'm hoping that means we'll see more magic in the next volume.

A fantasy comic that has Hunger Games meets racing Pokemon type vibe. Great for readers young and old. I can happily recommend this new series.

I really loved this story. The frog is seriously the cutest critter ever. If nothing else, read this so you can see all of his facial expressions. It's a very interesting story of a girl who gets involved in a national racing competition, each rider with a different mount. There's a lot going on in the background (looking forward to volume 2) but it's full of friendship and hope. Very fun read for slightly older ages.

In the Kingdom Riders, Kayla must enter in a race to help a friend.
I had some fun with this story. It was an interesting world that I would read more adventures in.
The artwork was excellent. It was probably my favorite part of the book.
The story was great, as well. Kayla and her friends were likeable and relatable.
My 12 year old son looked over my shoulder while I was reading this and now he wants to read it, as well. He doesn’t read much, so I think that’s high praise.

Kayla, a disinterested peasant, becomes entangled in the high-stakes Kingdom Races when her best friend Mal faces trouble. To rescue Mal, Kayla must participate as a rider, unaware of the far-reaching consequences.

The overall narrative of this story captivated me with its intrigue and excitement. The art is nothing short of incredible, skillfully welcoming readers into a visually stunning world. Every detail is eye-catching, making the entire experience thoroughly engaging. I highly recommend this read for both its compelling story and the visually appealing journey it offers!

Reading Kingdom Riders feels like revisiting a show you've forgotten from childhood. It's remarkably nostalgic, while still feeling fresh, new, and perfect for a new generation of kids and young adults.

Kingdom Riders follows Kayla, a peasant girl who lives in a small village outside a larger central kingdom. Kayla is content with her life in the village, and never thinks twice about entering the famous Kingdom Races, even though the winning would change her village life. Peasants aren’t accepted in the races without a high-born sponsor anyway. When Kayla’s best Mal gets herself in trouble, Kayla knows the only way out is for her to enter her local race. What follows is an adventure full of action, politics, and lots of awesome creatures.

Kingdom Riders is a gorgeous graphic novel that packs a punch. Though it feels familiar at times, Kingdom Riders manages to still feel unique throughout. There are pieces of stories you’ve probably heard before. There's a fate-changing competition, a girl from a lowly village, and a forest full of outlaws. However, Kingdom Riders often eschews conventions. Could Kayla have had a beautiful racing animal passed down from her parents? You might expect that. But, no. She has a giant, colorful mudtoad.

Art:

The art in Kingdom Riders is marvelous. Sometimes colorful, sometimes fantastical, but always beautifully rendered on page. The art betters the story but doesn’t overwhelm the story or the themes. This is a great example of the writer and artist being a perfect match.

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Kingdom Riders. It's an excellent middle-grade graphic novel that somehow manages to evoke a sense of nostalgia while feeling fresh. Hopefully, we see more in this series in the future.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Thanks to IDW for providing me with a review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.

** The review will go live on Back Shelf Books on May 8th, 2024.

A young orphaned girl enters a race that no one has ever won to earn freedom for herself and her friend.

What an epic ride!

I absolutely loved everything about this graphic novel. I'm not someone who reads them frequently, but I immediately found myself immersed in both the art style and the world building. To speak briefly about the art style: The art style felt slightly reminiscent of Elfquest if it were heavily modernized (which is so fun)! The colors are vibrant and tell the story of a world with factions, dangerous creatures, and magic. The drawings are clean, crisp, and detailed enough to really understand what is happening. Everything was incredibly eye-catching. Overall, I'd give the art a 5/5, it really drew me in.

The story itself was also quite enjoyable. The premise of a world torn by a war between factions is interesting, though nothing incredibly new. Despite this not being innovative in and of itself, it works so well for the story. The idea that all of these factions can come together and race through this exceptionally dangerous track is magical. We get to experience moments that have us on the edges of our seats, moments that have us absolutely gutted for some of our MCs, and moments which have us unsure of how things will work out.

I think that everyone should give this novel a whirl, and I think that you'll really love it!