The Curse of the Sea Rats is an upcoming animated video game-inspired feature film. The film is being produced by Petoons Studio and is based on their video game of the same name. The Curse of the Sea Rats tells the story of a group of pirate rat heroes who must save their world from an evil pirate captain. The film combines traditional hand-drawn animation with modern computer-generated imagery to create a unique visual style. The premiere date for The Curse of the Sea Rats has not yet been announced, but fans of the video game and animation enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting its release..
In short: A dictatorship has taken over the United States. (It doesn’t explicitly say it’s the United States, but it’s a safe bet.) Whit and Wisty, brother and sister, are rudely awakened by the police and arrested. They don’t know for what. Their parents are arrested too, but they later learn that they have escaped. As Whit and Wisty are put on a trial—a sham of a trial—they are hastily convicted of possessing magical powers. This is news to them, but slowly, the two come into the realization that they do have magical powers, and they are determined to learn how to use them as well as figure out how to escape. I was delighted to see that Svetlana Chmakova was illustrating, because she is one of my favorite OEL manga artists. Her style is crisp and fresh. The artwork is as telling and exciting as the text—in fact, for my reading experience this time, I was more taken by the artwork than the text. The opening pages are in color, which lends to the thrill of the read, as Wisty tells how she, her brother, and parents came to where they are, in a coliseum about to be hung. I look forward to volume 2… I probably should go read the novels so I can just find out what happens. That’s what I’d tell my students to do. In Battle for the Shadowland, IDW wrote a story set between the first novel, Witch and Wizard and the second book in the series, The Gift. Whit and Wisty have now come into their powers and have escaped the evil clutches of “The One Who Is the One.” They have joined a group of other teenagers who are fighting this evil dictatorship. With their magical abilities, they discover, that “The One Who is the One” is planning to conquer the Shadowland, an in-between place where ghosts live. It’s also the main means of travel between Freeland and The City—the city rebuilt in the “ideal image” of “The One Who Is the One.” I originally picked up this title eons ago, but I had a difficult time reading it. I was only successful in getting through the story after reading the manga adaptation by Yen Press, which leads me to believe it was hard to get into because I didn’t know enough about the story. Yet I’ll be the first to say that there is plenty of backstory for a reader unfamiliar with the story. Theoretically, you should not need to know the other story to understand this one. The artwork is in full color, but if you’re trying to compare the artwork of the manga to this title, you’ll only be able to find differences. The people are drawn in an interesting mix of manga and traditional superhero style, giving them an awkward, sometimes even flat, appearance. The action scenes are drawn well, adding a lot of excitement to this fast-paced story. Still, anyone picking this up will do so for the story not the artwork.
The Witch Wizard series by James Patterson has been around for some time in novel form, but it s only this year that the series has become hot something everyone wants to check out. The Witch Wizard series by James Patterson has been around for some time in novel form, but it s only this year that the series has become hot something everyone wants to check out.
.
Review: Witch & Wizard
Sometimes, I feel like my students are slow to catch onto fads. The Witch & Wizard series by James Patterson has been around for some time in novel form, but it’s only this year that the series has become hot—something everyone wants to check out. So the addition of two graphic novel series to this franchise will only excite already devoted readers. Witch & Wizard: The Manga V. 1
by James Patterson adapted by Gabrielle Charbonnet
Art by Svetlana Chmakova
Yen Publishing, September 2011, ISBN 9780316119894
256 pp. $12.99 Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland
by James Patterson & Dara Naraghi
Art by Victor Santos
IDW Publishing, October 2010, ISBN 9781600107597
104pp. $17.99 This review is based on a complimentary copy supplied by the publisher. All images copyright © IDW Publishing The manga version is a straight adaptation of the novel. As I didn’t have patience to actually read the first novel, I can’t tell you how accurate the adaptation is, but this was a great intro to the series. (And hey, I might actually go back and read the books now!) I also felt immersed in the story, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. The adaptation stood alone.
In short: A dictatorship has taken over the United States. (It doesn’t explicitly say it’s the United States, but it’s a safe bet.) Whit and Wisty, brother and sister, are rudely awakened by the police and arrested. They don’t know for what. Their parents are arrested too, but they later learn that they have escaped. As Whit and Wisty are put on a trial—a sham of a trial—they are hastily convicted of possessing magical powers. This is news to them, but slowly, the two come into the realization that they do have magical powers, and they are determined to learn how to use them as well as figure out how to escape. I was delighted to see that Svetlana Chmakova was illustrating, because she is one of my favorite OEL manga artists. Her style is crisp and fresh. The artwork is as telling and exciting as the text—in fact, for my reading experience this time, I was more taken by the artwork than the text. The opening pages are in color, which lends to the thrill of the read, as Wisty tells how she, her brother, and parents came to where they are, in a coliseum about to be hung. I look forward to volume 2… I probably should go read the novels so I can just find out what happens. That’s what I’d tell my students to do. In Battle for the Shadowland, IDW wrote a story set between the first novel, Witch and Wizard and the second book in the series, The Gift. Whit and Wisty have now come into their powers and have escaped the evil clutches of “The One Who Is the One.” They have joined a group of other teenagers who are fighting this evil dictatorship. With their magical abilities, they discover, that “The One Who is the One” is planning to conquer the Shadowland, an in-between place where ghosts live. It’s also the main means of travel between Freeland and The City—the city rebuilt in the “ideal image” of “The One Who Is the One.” I originally picked up this title eons ago, but I had a difficult time reading it. I was only successful in getting through the story after reading the manga adaptation by Yen Press, which leads me to believe it was hard to get into because I didn’t know enough about the story. Yet I’ll be the first to say that there is plenty of backstory for a reader unfamiliar with the story. Theoretically, you should not need to know the other story to understand this one. The artwork is in full color, but if you’re trying to compare the artwork of the manga to this title, you’ll only be able to find differences. The people are drawn in an interesting mix of manga and traditional superhero style, giving them an awkward, sometimes even flat, appearance. The action scenes are drawn well, adding a lot of excitement to this fast-paced story. Still, anyone picking this up will do so for the story not the artwork.
All in all, James Patterson fans (certainly the young ones) will enjoy reading both these comics, especially if they’re already Witch & Wizard fans. Filed under: Graphic Novels, Manga, Reviews
SHARE:About Esther Keller
Esther Keller is the librarian at JHS 278, Marine Park in Brooklyn, NY. There she started the library's first graphic novel collection and strongly advocated for using comics in the classroom. She also curates the Graphic Novel collection for the NYC DOE Citywide Digital Library. She started her career at the Brooklyn Public Library and later jumped ship to the school system so she could have summer vacation and a job that would align with a growing family's schedule. On the side, she is a mother of 4 and regularly reviews for SLJ and School Library Connection (formerly LMC). In her past life, she served on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee where she solidified her love and dedication to comics.
Sometimes, I feel like my students are slow to catch onto fads. The Witch & Wizard series by James Patterson has been around for some time in novel form, but it’s only this year that the series has become hot—something everyone wants to check out. So the addition of two graphic novel series to this franchise will only excite already devoted readers. Witch & Wizard: The Manga V. 1
by James Patterson adapted by Gabrielle Charbonnet
Art by Svetlana Chmakova
Yen Publishing, September 2011, ISBN 9780316119894
256 pp. $12.99 Witch & Wizard: Battle for Shadowland
by James Patterson & Dara Naraghi
Art by Victor Santos
IDW Publishing, October 2010, ISBN 9781600107597
104pp. $17.99 This review is based on a complimentary copy supplied by the publisher. All images copyright © IDW Publishing The manga version is a straight adaptation of the novel. As I didn’t have patience to actually read the first novel, I can’t tell you how accurate the adaptation is, but this was a great intro to the series. (And hey, I might actually go back and read the books now!) I also felt immersed in the story, and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. The adaptation stood alone.
.
Reviews for "Experience the Magic: Curse of the Sea Rats Premiere"
1. Justin - 1/5 stars - I was highly disappointed with the premiere date of "Curse of the Sea Rats." After waiting for what seemed like an eternity for this highly anticipated game, I expected to be blown away. Unfortunately, the delay of the premiere date only added to my frustration. The lack of communication and transparency from the developers regarding the reasons for the delay is unacceptable. I have lost all interest in the game and will not be supporting it any further.
2. Melissa - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of the Sea Rats," but the delayed premiere date has left me feeling underwhelmed. The constant teasers and trailers leading up to the original release date built up my excitement, only to have it crushed when the release was postponed. The developers need to work on their time management and communication skills. This has been a major letdown for fans who were eagerly anticipating the game.
3. Alex - 1/5 stars - The delayed premiere date of "Curse of the Sea Rats" is highly disappointing. As a backer of this project on Kickstarter, I invested my time and money into supporting the game. The constant delays and lack of updates from the developers have left me feeling frustrated and betrayed. It's clear that the developers rushed the project without considering the consequences, ultimately failing to deliver on their promises. I have lost all faith in this game and will not be recommending it to others.
4. Michelle - 2/5 stars - I was excited to play "Curse of the Sea Rats," but the delayed premiere date has left me feeling disheartened. The lack of communication regarding the reasons for the delay has been frustrating. While I understand that game development can have its challenges, the developers should have been more transparent with their audience. This lack of transparency has made me lose some interest in the game. I hope they can improve their communication in the future.
5. Mike - 1/5 stars - The delayed premiere date of "Curse of the Sea Rats" is a huge disappointment. After following the game's development for months, I was eagerly awaiting its release. However, the constant delays have made me lose interest and faith in the project. The developers seemed unprepared and did not manage expectations properly. This has been a major letdown, and I doubt I will be giving this game another chance.