BOOKLIST (STARRED) --Ever watch a monster movie and wonder, "Huh I wonderhow Godzilla is feeling as its smashing all those buildings?" Cannon certainlyhas, and this second installment in the Kaijumax series demonstrates theprofound results. His world of giant robots vs. giant monsters seems standardenough, but when the heroic robots stoop to profiling and brutality tactics,while the monsters fall victim to an unfair society and their ownself-destructive culture, the audience can't help but feel compassion andcontempt for these characters living in a black-and-white world. His critique,clearly a parallel between today's problems with law enforcement and culture, isas sharp as it is accurate. Cannon's world building is equally impressive; fromthe imaginative swear words to the literal nuclear grade opiates that plague thestreets-nearly every aspect and small detail of Cannon's is all-too familiar.Though his artwork might seem unrefined, the richly colored panels and blockyfigures exude a classic comics vibe that perfectly matches the story and itscharacters. This is poignant, modern critique of culture in an easily accessibleand satirical package-fans of brainy, incisive comics should look no furtherthan this series.SCHOOL LIBRARYJOURNAL -- Devoted single father Electrogor getshimself in a bind when he is accidentally shipped off to Kaijumax, a maximumsecurity prison in the South Pacific for giant monsters. A relatively sweetmonster, Electrogor thinks about nothing but escaping back to his children.Standing in his way is Gutpa, a corrupt security guard selling uranium on theside (which many of the monsters are addicted to) to pay his gambling debts. Thesecond volume follows Electrogor and the Humongo who helped him escape as theygo on the run and face not only hiding from the police but also other desperatethieves and people just trying to survive. Will Electrogor's children rememberhim and forgive him for disappearing? Cannon's world of Kaijumax is anintriguing one that combines elements of hit TV shows such as Orange Is the NewBlack, Prison Break, and The Sopranos. While the bright, psychedelic cutesycartoon art might make these seem like an innocent tales, they subtly touch on avariety of tough topics, such as the horror of prison life, death, violence,greed, and corruption. Teens will be attracted by the idea of a jail for giantmonsters and find themselves falling in love with, caring about, crying for, andwanting to kill some of the characters-both monster and human.
