Wax is determined to be the best DJ in the world, but when his mixes accidentally answer an interstellar challenge, he'll have to be the best DJ in the universe to protect his family and friends from the robots of Discotopia, where he fights against the evil King using the ancient art of Sci-Fu, a martial art that uses sound waves as weapons.

I'm not much of a fan of rap music, but I am a musician, so I was more than intrigued about a comic that uses music to fight off alien robots! I loved all the rhyming and rhythm. I could almost hear the music in my head as I was reading the book!

The plot surprised me and kept me guessing with lots of great twists. The dialogue is snappy and kept me laughing. The characters have some great development, and I loved seeing how they each interact with each other, building trust and working together to protect their planet.

The illustrations are full of vibrant colors and it gives a very energetic feel to the panels. The fight scenes are wonderfully put together, and the action is clear and interesting.

The world of Discotopia is imaginative and playful. Even though the battles are serious, and we feel the suspense of everything being at stake for our characters, there is also such amusing humor too, so that it never feels too heavy.

A delightful read!

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

I really enjoyed reading the comic. It kept my interest the whole way through. I loved how he is a middle schooler but a struggling Dj trying to get the girl. The artwork is incredible. The drawings are colorful and creative. The only problem is that the comic had some areas that were in and out of English to Spanish in those parts of the book it was confusing. Especially when the page has no translation to English. Other then that nothing wrong. This is a great comic, especially for African American boys. They will especially like it. Can’t wait for book two!

’80s Nostalgia Like Whoah

Thirteen-year-old Wax wants to be the best DJ in the world – but little does he know that the very fate of “Planet Brooklyn” will rely on his skills. It’s 1980-something, and young Wax is recording a song for his crush, the aptly named Pirate Polly, when he inadvertently answers an intergalactic challenge. Wax, his crew, his entire block – all are transported to a planet called Discopia, where Wax must best a giant robot named Choo Choo and his crew, the Five Deadly Dangers, in order to save everyone he loves.

There’s so much to love here, I don’t even know where to start. SCI-FU is such a fun mashup of all things ’80s: Wax’s training montages with mentor Kabuki Snowman are like the bizarro sci-fi version of THE KARATE KID, and the style left me yearning for a FRESH PRINCE marathon. Between Teddy Backspin (read: Ruxpin) and the Transformer-esque Choo Choo, there are a fair number of elements that could feel like rip-offs, at least in lesser-skilled hands. But Mercado walks the line between homage and pinching with ease. If you lived through the ’80s, you’re all but guaranteed to be in on the joke.

Oh, and there’s an ’80s hip-hop playlist at the end! How cool is that?

And the cast! Wax is adorable and sweet in that way that makes you want to bake him a batch of cookies and pinch his little chipmunk cheeks. His little sister D is like the animated version of Diane from BLACK(ISH), which is to say that she’s as smart as she is diabolical, and you most definitely want to keep her happy and on your side. Pirate Polly is rad AF, and I kind of love that Mercado never bothers to explain the eye patch and nickname (which came first? Is the patch functional or decorative? Is she a distant relation of One-eyed Willie maybe?) The Ultimate Showdown with the Boom Box of Doom is one of my favorite scenes, for obvious reasons.

I also adored Uncle Rashaad, who owns an ice cream truck and speaks in ice cream flavored expletives. The back story for why Wax and D are living with him is pretty great too. I really hope we meet the ‘rents in a later installment of the series. There’s some serious superhero potential there too.

SCI-FU is definitely on the bizarre side, but if you can embrace the weirdness, you will have a good time.

Good little middle-grade graphic novel that manages to seamlessly connect sci-fi and hip-hop in 1980s Brooklyn. Some of the references may go over the head of younger readers, but all the knowing inclusions that Mercado adds into the narrative don't detract from the story-telling, so readers won't get drawn out or lost in this.
The art style is influenced by '80s street art, and although a few panels are noisy making it hard to distinguish the voices and stalling the narrative a few times, it adds to the over-all theme of the comic.
Would recommend for readers aged 10-14, and probably parents aged 40-60 too!

My girls - 9 and 11 years old - both read this and loved it! The both enjoy music and science fiction and they said this was a really fun read. Some of the 80's stuff went over their heads, but it really was a delightfully fun graphic novel.

Sci-Fu is a fun graphic novel. The characters were diverse. Illustrations were colorful and full of action. I loved the classic rap lyrics throughout the text. I think this novel will truly capture the imagination of my students especially the boys.

This book was awesome. I would recommend it to everyone - it was really funny and well written. I think many kids would love this book and the adventures of Wax, Cooky P, the D, Pirate Polly, Kabuki Snowman, and Uncle Rashad. It is about being true to yourself and following through on your word. This book also shows that training and hard work can help one accomplish their goals. The art is also really good, and the villain are believable as well as funny. The whole book has great humour and I love the rap bits.

This is probably one of the most fun graphic novels that I have read recently! The raps come through perfectly lyrically and the art is just gorgeous! Tonally, Sci-Fu reminds me of a mash-up of a Cartoon Network series and a shonen manga, which is absolutely a good thing for the patrons in my library!

A blended up puree of Scott Pilgrim and Parappa the Rapper with a swirl of Run DMC.

I grew up in the Midwest. Hip-hop and breakdancing were never really a part of my world. Luckily, you don't really need to be hyper-familiar with hip-hop culture to understand and enjoy this story. The plot is satisfyingly complex, with a sort of Scott Pilgrim vibe. The real selling point, here, is the art. Mercado has found the perfect balance between text and illustrations, allowing both elements to tell parts of the story. A great choice for readers looking for something off the beaten path.