The Hazards of Love, v.1: Bright World by Stan Stanley
Oni Press
Publication: March 30, 2021
ISBN: 9781620108574
The Hazards of Love is a fantastical cautionary tale of why you should never make a deal with a magical cat. Amparo is a known delinquent and is facing suspension for pulling the fire alarm at their school. To make matters worse, they have a crush on lolanthe, a straitlaced and rule-abiding student. Enter a magical cat with a solution to their problem. Instead of fulfilling the promise of making Amparo a “good person,” the scheming cat takes over their body and then imprisons Amparo’s soul in a strange place called Bright World. Bright World is full of unusual, brutish, and dangerous human-animal crossbreeds that feed off human memories, slowly turning them into mindless zombies before finally eating their bodies. Amparo must use their quick wits to escape and return home but soon finds themselves in thrall to a black deer named El Ciervo.
Stanley offers a spectacular and engaging graphic novel with stunning colors and dramatic linework. Both Amparo and lolanthe are depicted as Latinx and the characters are seen throughout the story using Spanish dialogue. In addition, Amparo’s portrayal of a nonbinary youth is spot on. This noir fantasy is full of adventure, mystery, and romance as well as creepiness. The Hazards of Love reminds us of the familiar adage: be careful what you wish for.
Fans of this comic will enjoy Bill Willingham’s Fable series, Marjorie Liu’s Monstress series, as well as TV shows like Stranger Things, Shadow and Bone, and The Umbrella Academy.
—Shaira Rock
Other Nominated Titles
- Love Me, Love Me Not, v.8 by Io Sakisaka (May 4, 2021)
- Count by Ibrahim Moustafa (March 16, 2021)
- The Leak by Kate Reed Petty and Andrea Bell (March 16, 2021)
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams will feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation will be listed as well. At year’s end, the team will use that list of nominated titles to select a final list and Top Ten. The previous years’ lists are also made available on The Hub.
