Savage Beard of She Dwarf

by Kyle Latino

Overview

A heartwarming graphic novel that tells the story of a lonely dwarf searching for her place in the world.

She Dwarf believes herself to be the last dwarf in existence. Hoping to find evidence to the contrary, She Dwarf sets out on a mission to find the lost dwarven city of Dammerung. But Dammerung isn’t on any map and will not be easily found. Strong forces stand in She Dwarf’s way. Begrudgingly forced to take on a partner to aid in her mission, She Dwarf is joined by war barbarian, Hack Battler. Together, the pair will face vengeful shorcs, sludge demons, mutant bear monsters, and more. When warned by an elf named Drift of the dangers of searching for the lost city, She Dwarf will come face to face with the consequences of her quest. Driven by memories of her mother, She Dwarf is more determined than ever to unearth the truth of the dwarves.

Savage Beard of She Dwarf is a fantasy webcomic seen in book form for the first time. From comic writer and artist Kyle Latino, this YA graphic novel packs all the epic adventure and delightful humor with a heartwarming story of a lonely dwarf searching for her place in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620107386
Publisher:	Oni Press
Publication date:	06/16/2020
Series:	Savage Beard of She Dwarf
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	497,704
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Kyle Latino is a cartoonist and illustrator from Indianapolis. His has appeared in the pages of comics such as Fresh Romance, Rolled & Told, Outlaw Territories, and many self published projects. Kyle has received a BFA in Biblical Literature from Taylor University (2007) and an MFA in Visual Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati (2020). When he is not at the drawing desk, Kyle is often wishing he was playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—In this fantasy webcomic–turned–graphic novel, She Dwarf fears she may be the last dwarf left in the world and sets out to discover the fate of her people by searching for the lost dwarven kingdom of Dammerung. She fights for herself and the little guy, uses her beard to wrestle with a barbarian warrior, and takes on dragons, shorcs (shark-orcs, naturally), and a cyclops with bears for arms. She makes friends along the way, like any good adventurer, and loves to take extravagant scented baths. The story is light and amusing, but She Dwarf faces many challenges in pursuit of her dream and knows she risks heartbreak at the end of her journey. The characters are eccentric and expressive, positively exuding camaraderie and determination. In addition to the magnificently bearded She Dwarf, many characters defy traditional gender roles and appearances. The monsters are wildly inventive and unsettling, leaping off the page in brightly hued explosions. Abrupt, vivid color shifts are the hallmark of the graphic novel, but at times the excess of colors makes the action difficult to decipher. Creatively positioned, detailed panels and speech bubbles move the action along at breakneck speed, so much so that the pacing often seems rushed, which adds to the colorful confusion. VERDICT Fans of fast-paced fantasy adventure, strong-minded heroines, and dynamic flashy art will enjoy this story of humor and heart, unlikely companions, and belonging.—Kelley Gile, Cheshire P.L., CT

School Library Journal

2020-03-15
The last dwarf in existence forms unlikely friendships while in search of a lost city.

She Dwarf has been lonely since the death of her heroic mother and longs to find the mysterious Dammerung, home of other dwarves like her. During her first time in the “Big World,” She Dwarf proves her dominance over showboating Hack Battler in a beard challenge (She Dwarf’s beard is long and luxuriant), gets duped by a leprechaun, and fights a wolf-bat-dragon creature. Stubborn and determined, She Dwarf continues her quest with none other than Hack Battler, who, disgraced by his defeat, is hoping to learn from She Dwarf. Their journey takes them to an abandoned dwarven outpost, an oracle, and a relaxing bathhouse. Along the way they meet Drift, an elven assassin, a monster with bears for hands, and many more interesting individuals. In the end, She Dwarf has to confront the truth about what happened to her people and make a difficult decision. In this action-packed, fast-paced graphic novel, readers will feel the energy in every detailed panel. At times the pacing feels too rushed, possibly causing confusion and missing the opportunity to further explore She Dwarf’s surroundings. The bright colors pair well with the lighthearted tone of this adventure but don’t detract from the emotional moments. Most characters with natural human skin tones appear white; Drift is black.

A fun, heartwarming questing story. (Graphic fantasy. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews

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