Luuna Volume 1

Luuna Volume 1

On an unlucky night, Luuna, the chief's daughter, is initiated into her tribe by going into the forest alone to find her totem animal, but although she finds finds her totems--one black wolf, one white--Luuna is struck with a curse that will change her life forever. Original. This first volume in a new full-color graphic-novel series introduces readers to a quasi–­Native American fantasy world. When Luuna is sent off to discover her totem, or spiritual guide, she instead encounters a demon who lays claim to her soul during full moons. Her totem is thus revealed to be a pair of wolves, one black and one white, symbolizing the struggle for good and evil taking place within her. Once a month she is transformed from the mild-mannered nature communer into a savagely powerful killer, though luckily so far only deserving villains cross her path on those nights. The glossy artwork ably captures the buoyant brights of the forest by day and troublesome shadows of night, and displays some sophistication during the many action sequences. Luuna herself is endowed with the typical female superhero’s physique, and some mild nudity (nothing frontal) appears here and there. While the spiritual mumbo jumbo comes off a little heavy handed at times, the story does allow for some compelling morality struggles. Fans of mystical adventures should be right at home. Grades 9-12. --Ian Chipman