Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery (Captain Raptor #1)

"Jurassic Park" meets "Star Trek" meets Captain Nemo in this sci-fi comic about high-tech dinosaurs, which balances tongue-in-cheek cheesiness and earnest enthusiasm. After "a "flash of light" races across the sky and disappears on the dark side of "Eon"," Planet Jurassica's "most "mysterious" moon," Captain Raptor (yes, the veloci-kind, wearing body armor) goes to investigate. He and his reptilian sidekicks, including the brainy half-robot Professor Angleoptorous, rocket to Eon in their sleek silver spaceship, the "Megatooth". They crash-land in the ocean and withstand an attack by a giant octopus, vanquish their foe and emerge topside, where they encounter a laser-gun-toting team of "human" astronauts. Meticulously drawn panels chronicle the adventure, with rectangular inserts providing edge-of-the-seat exposition and hearty dialogue. O'Brien's ("Fantastic Flights") naturalistic watercolors parody museum murals of dinosaurs, while his outer-space images recall the pulp covers of sixties sci-fi novels. O'Malley ("Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude", reviewed Feb. 21) gamely alternates between hysteria-tinged suspense ("Could "this" be the end of Captain Raptor?") and gallantry ("Onward to the stars!"), with plenty of time out for pyrotechnics. Derivative though it is, this outrageous yarn will please the "Dinotopia" crowd. Ages 5-up." (Mar.)"

Copyright 2005 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 4 An action-packed science-fiction romp starring a cast of dinosaur characters. When a mysterious object lands on one of Jurassica's moons, Captain Raptor and his crew set out in their spaceship to investigate. After narrowly escaping several dangerous situations, they land on Eon's surface and discover that an unfamiliar vessel has crashed nearby. During a tense confrontation between the dinosaurs and the newcomers, the alien leader is suddenly swept away by a winged "pteraspikadon." Captain Raptor quickly engages his blastobooster, rockets into the sky, and saves him. After properly greeting the human visitors and helping them get under way, the crew returns to the "Megatooth" and heads out for another adventure. Presented in comic-book style, this story blends an eye-catching layout with a quick-moving plot, tongue-in-cheek humor, and an imaginative setting. The text has a melodramatic tone that suits the tale perfectly. While much of the watercolor and gouache artwork consists of sequenced rectangles, occasional single- and double-page paintings open out the format and highlight important moments. The dinosaurs, who wear funky-looking space gear and have an endless supply of gadgets, are a blast. The bespectacled Professor Angleoptorous is part beast and part robot, while toothy Captain Raptor, in his shiny and spiky armor, has a real hero's elan. Sci-fi fans and dinophiles will eat this book up, and it might also capture the interest of reluctant readers." -Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.