While I enjoyed the premise of this, the execution fell a bit flat for me. It felt as if everything was jumping around too quickly with little explanation. I would have loved to see the story more drawn out.

This was okay - not the most groundbreaking graphic novel I've ever read but still solid. I might read future additions.

Focusing on the fallout from the abduction of a young woman with ties to the criminal underground, "Mugshots" is a slick, elegant and engaging crime-suspense story that does not pull any punches. Expect a tight, nuanced plot reminiscent of Ed Brubaker, stylized art and a cheerful background awash with criminality, violence and corruption.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Mad Cave Studios, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Mugshots" has a distinct visual style that suits its gritty crime story, but overall, it didn’t work for me. The violence felt excessive without enough plot or character depth to balance it out. The author’s note suggests humor was meant to lighten the tone, but… where was the funny? I genuinely couldn’t tell which parts were supposed to be jokes.

The artwork is strong and fits the mood, but some characters look so similar that I struggled to follow who was who. That said, it does a good job of setting up a universe where bigger and badder villains will challenge the main character in future sequels.

Unfortunately, while it might appeal to some fans of dark crime stories, it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for this ARC - no kidnappings, thugs, or questionable life choices on my end… just me brooding by the window, waiting for the rain to set the perfect noir mood.

At first glance, there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about Mugshots. The artwork is minimalist, with only three colors per page - white, black, and either orange or blue - and most of the characters are forgettable passersby. The plot? It gives major Taken vibes (a fact even acknowledged by one of the characters). Yet despite this, it all somehow works remarkably well, delivering an enjoyable noir experience.

The story follows a protagonist with a history steeped in crime and violence, now caught in a dangerous game of consequences stemming from his and his family's dark past. As expected in any noir tale, we get a gritty look into the seedy underground filled with thugs, human traffickers, killers, and all sorts of bad business. I always find myself wondering - why would anyone choose to live like this, risking their own family while destroying countless other lives? The protagonist wrestles with this very question throughout the narrative, making it a central theme that elevates the story.

The only bigger issue I had was with the transitions between scenes, which often felt choppy and disjointed. At times, it was easy to get lost while reading until you became accustomed to the abrupt jumps. In one instance, the protagonist is speaking with a character, and in the next, he's suddenly talking to an entirely different person - without any clear indication of how we got there or who the new characters even were. This disrupted the otherwise immersive experience.

While Mugshots isn’t a genre-defining masterpiece and probably won’t stick with me long-term, it’s a solid crime drama that’s worth reading for noir lovers looking for a quick, satisfying fix.

Brighton, UK. 2008. John Bannan left town after running afoul of the local Boss, but his niece's kidnapping brings him back and sets off a bloody sequence of events that could spell doom for everyone he loves.

I loved the monochrome, shadowy art. It sets a tone to a pretty standard story that helps it stand out from every noir just like it. You could almost get the story just from the images if you're not in the mood for the very lengthy texts typical to the genre.

There is a bit of an issue with time and location jumps that sometimes made me feel like I jumped a page, but, in the end, I decided it helped with the uneasy feeling of the story. Not ideal, but justifiable.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the pulse-pounding read!

The pacing was so disjointed that it made me feel lost most of the time. The art style wasn't my favorite, with exclusively monochrome panels that didn't make an effort to keep you hooked visually. And the plot was too much like movies we've all seen a thousand times and more often than not are part of the military entertainment complex of the US army. If i hadn't liked only the story or only the art style I would've been able to push through, but ultimately there's nothing in here for me.

Unfortunately a bit too convoluted for my taste but thanks to the fantastic artwork, it was an okayish read overall. My many thanks to Jordan Thomas, the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC!

"Brighton, UK. 2008. The kidnapping of a young woman starts a chain of events that will set con artists, gangsters, killers, and corrupt police on a collision course of violence. Meet John Bannan, self-proclaimed bastard and loving uncle, in this tale of family trauma, betrayal, murder, and revenge that threatens to bring the city's whole underworld down."

Just look at the gorgeous cover! Damn. I wish I was that talented.

I thought this book was so much fun.

The art style is reminiscent of old cartoons, Dexters Lab or Powerpuff girls.

I think one of the most important parts of manga and graphic novels is the art. People are visual. If the art style is bad, you've lost before it's even begun.

Luckily, this book is beautiful with an interesting plot.

Give it a shot if you like mafias and awesome art.

Thank you to Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Listen, I think this has so much potential, it really does. The art style was well-fitting towards the style of the graphic novel: rough, quick, and edgy. The idea for this story is brilliant, and it had so much potential; it's not often you get to read something about Brighton's gang-crime in a visual format. However, the execution of the story was mediocre. It was too cliché, especially the ending (no spoilers). It's this typical "bad guy who's actually good" story with an unnecessary Albanian subplot. Apart from that I really enjoyed it . Simple and easy to get through.

I really enjoyed the art style of it all, The story was a little weaker, but i really loved how it looked and the style.

The simplicity and brilliance of the blue-toned cover immediately drew me into this graphic novel. From the introduction, I gained a clear overview of the plot, setting the stage for a gripping story of crime and betrayal. It quickly became evident that this was not just a tale of criminals working together but also against one another.

The core narrative follows the kidnapping of a young girl and her uncle’s relentless attempt to rescue her. However, it soon becomes apparent that even the uncle’s past is far from spotless. As the story unfolds, layers of corruption and involvement in shady dealings are revealed. The novel does not shy away from depicting violence in all its brutality. Far from romanticizing crime, it offers a raw, unfiltered portrayal of violence’s harsh reality—a point explicitly stated by the author in the preface.

The pacing fluctuated throughout the story. Some sections felt abrupt and rushed, while others stretched out in greater detail. Despite this variation, the central question remained compelling: Would the girl be found, and at what cost? This question kept me hooked until the very end.

For me, one of the most unsettling aspects was the depiction of human trafficking. Although I anticipated graphic content from the introduction, these scenes were particularly disturbing.

While the use of coarse and derogatory language suited the gritty nature of the story, I sometimes found it difficult to digest.

Visually, the graphic novel was captivating. The art style, with its clear and deliberate color palette, perfectly matched the dark tone of the narrative. The masterful use of light and shadow heightened the drama, creating striking and memorable imagery that left a lasting impression on me.

I'm at a loss with the missed opportunity here. The art itself has depth and is interesting to look at with its effective use of color helping to establish mood. Unfortunately, great art can't overcome a lackluster story with questionable pacing. There's no emotional investment in any characters other than baseline human decency. It would also help if the characters were a bit more distinctive, as there's a lot of characters who look very similar to one another. The infighting between the crime bosses is set up like it's a massive deal, but the readers don't understand the scope of the situation, so it just feels like you're lazily rooting for the "good" guy with minimal context. If there was more depth to the story, whilst also simplifying some of the less necessary territory dynamics, then more time could be spent on establishing characters and emotionally investing your audience in them. It would be wise to lessen the total amount of characters, too, which would allow the focus to be on the ones that do actually matter the most. Further, what little investment that was created here is completely diminished by how so many storylines are cut short by senseless deaths. Now, within the context of this world, mortality is an ever-present threat, but there is a way to properly balance the reality of their world while also not eliminating half of the cast, because, without that balance, who's even going to care that they're dead anyway?

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read for a fair review! This graphic novel ticks the boxes of a good crime story: a fast-paced noir-ish vibe, engaging art and dialogue, organized mob guys, and a hero who's easy to empathize with (even if he does make - or has to make - the worst decisions). I definitely will seek out Jordan Thomas's work again.

There has been and always will be a darker side to society.
John Bannan must return to Brighton to find his niece, Grace, that has gone missing. Much to his chagrin, he learns that she was dating an infamous crime lord’s son before she went missing. As John reconnects with old friends to assist in the search for Grace, he must dodge criminals and police alike, that are both after his head.
While I do not condone the actions of the characters in this graphic novel, they are “no different than a thousand other thieves and crooks that have washed up here over the centuries”, but you find yourself hoping for a cathartic ending. It is worth the read.

I love comics. They are a great and versatile medium. I read superheroes mostly, but I love a good crime comic.
Mugshots fits that bill perfectly.
Mugshots tells the story of a kidnapping in London that sets off a chain of events. Front and center to this case is John Bannan. Uncle to the kidnapped girl and a bit of a marked man.
The story took me right in and didn’t let me go until the end. I felt like I was right there in the action.
The artwork was great. It seemed both detailed and still kind of simplistic, if that makes sense.

I quite enjoyed this! Writing and plot were fairly good and I liked the art style. Art style matched the story well. I thought the inclusion of overlapping action was done well throughout too.
I think the only things that I didn’t love was the amount of characters and the Albanian “sub”-plot. Think the story could have been more concise/felt like it was a bit of a bait and switch.
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am very torn here. While I love the art style of the graphic novel (perhaps one of the best I have ever seen this year), I find the actual story rather lackluster. The stake is not high enough and the ending is so anticlimatic, I almost couldn't believe that that is how it ends. Overall, I appreciate the beautiful arts but not sure if I will pick up this in store or for a reread. n

Thanks to Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for this eARC. I loved the art style! Regarding the story, while each character was clearly different, it was sometimes difficult to follow, like who is who (ex: page 33) and where (ex: page 35 seems to be 2 locations but the color changes only on the next page while at the same location)...