Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys investigate Fenton Hardy's suicide in this graphic noir thriller.

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys are all grown up. They live in Bayport, which also houses the Bobbsey twins. The art, coloring and lettering are great. The story less so.

There were 175 Nancy Drew books written between 1930 and 2003. As a reader of the first 41 as a child and a lover of all things noir, The Big Lie seemed like a perfect fit for my tastes. The look of the book is vintage noir. The updating of Nancy, Joe and Frank's appearance is spot on. Unfortunately, the plot is horrible. There is no mystery regarding whodunnit at all. There is absolutely no dramatic tension. The disagreement between the brothers didn't seem authentic. The setting for the ending seemed forced and overly referenced the original books. Overall, the story gets 1 star from me but the artwork and style get a 5 so the entire book gets 3 stars. Still I wouldn't recommend it to Nancy Drew fans looking for an homage to the original books.

Thanks to the publisher, Dynamite Entertainment, and Netgalley for an advanced review copy.

Just finished ‘Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie’.

Reading this brings back memories during primary school days. I couldn’t get enough of Nancy Drew back then. To see it reincarnate into a graphic novel and in a current modern setting, is a very good thing. I cannot recommend it enough.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors/Dynamite Entertainment and am providing an honest review.

When I was a child, back in the 60's I was introduced to the Hardy Boys books. Every month I would get the next one in the series. I fell in love with both mysteries and reading with those books. Never did read any Nancy Drew, those were for girls. After I had read a few my dad told me that he had read them growing up. That confused me because they talked about all sorts of modern things that would never be in existence when he was a child. I found out later that every generation had their version of the Hardy Boys written under the same pen name. And since Nancy Drew was from the same publisher, it was safe to assume that her books were the same.

I say all that because every generation did have their own version. I have read people say this was a bad mashup because it took something from the past and brought it current. I have no problems with that at all. This generation needs its own version and something that will appeal to it.

Trust me, this is not the Hardy Boys I grew up with. While they had a little grit in them, this is GRITTY. It is done in a noir style. While the three have cell phones and the like, it has a feel of a much different type. If you were to watch Rverdale on CW TV network, you would have the same feel.

Basic story line. The Boys are being framed for the murder of their dad, who everyone assumes was a crooked cop. The boys know they are not guilty and that their dad was not crooked or committed suicide. They team up with Nancy Drew, who is visiting with her dad, a district judge. Everyone, even our main characters, seem to have secrets that they do not want let out. Fun point, look for the side characters in this book. Clever winks and nods to our childhood stories.

Teens would be the lowest age that I would suggest this book for. I would recommend this to any one that enjoys graphic novels. I know some people would conciser 'comics' are not real writing, I would differ. Great read, will be looking for the others.

Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys:
The Big Lie

HB & ND - The Big Lie.jpg

by
Anthony Del Col

A Review

I grew up with the Hardy Boys - oh, I knew of Nancy Drew, but never read the books. I could not get my hands on a Hardy Boys book fast enough; it would be my first stop at the bookstore. Sadly, fifty years ago I outgrew them.

This past week Anthony Del Col renewed my interest. The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, and Tom Swift, have all been recreated in the 21st century. This reincarnation is not for the book-loving fans of the past, but for the graphic novel loving generation.

The story is top-notch - easy to follow and involved enough to hold this sexagenarian’s attention for the entire 162 pages of graphic art. Though the stars are definitely The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are the starts, but we also get a glimpse of the Bobbsey Twins and Tom Swift. Beginning with the suicide (or was it murder) of Frank Hardy, the Boys’ father, the story quickly shifts to the Hardy Boys being each (or jointly) being involved in the events surrounding the death. The police are quick to identify them as the wanted parties and give little thought to other possible suspects. The biggest part of the book focuses on unraveling the events of the night when Frank Hardy died.

Not a great fan or critic of comic art, I did find the art more remanence of the 60’s or 70’s than the more explosive style prevalent in much of today’s comic art. That may have made this reader feel more at home, but it should not drive away those more often exposed to the current style. Because I was reading an e-book, I am not in a position to evaluate how effective the artwork is reproduced with modern inks and paper. Having said that, let it be known the e-book is well done.

The book concludes with a number of special features - interviews with the author, the artist, the colorist, and the letterist. A number of close-ups are provided of the art found within the stories pages are also included. And finally, a hint - what is that about the Bobbsey Twins and a future mystery? We will just have to wait and see.

Read the book - whether you are current graphic art fan, a fan of the comic books of yore, or a fan of the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. The reader will not be disappointed - I wasn’t.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

I liked the idea behind this graphic novel. It pulled me in because who doesn't like Nancy Drew? I am unfortunately part of the generation that just missed the hype around the character. I grew up with Mary Kate and Ashley. I ended up quite enjoying this graphic novel but I thought that the plot moved a little too slowly.

This isn't the Nancy Drew and Hardy boys of our childhood . This story is grittier and darker and has twists and turns that you didn't see coming . I mean having Frank and Joe under suspicion of murdering their father , damn that was a game changer . Nancy coming in and helping them out . I love cross over and the story is one that will keep you wondering .
    The graphics in this comic have that classic noir feel to them but the characters are so 2017.  I love the feel of the suspense and action . The character drawings take us back to the book . They did a great job of bringing old school and new school together . 
   This was a great comic and I cant wait for the second installment . Other then the fact it was a little short , didn't take away from the action and the intrigue . So if you want to read the updated HARDY BOYS and NANCY DREW  check it out

I was in grade school when I first had the chance to read books of Nancy Drew Files and Hardy Boys Casefiles. It was my older sister who purchased them and I only borrowed them from her. It's over 2 decades and I've already forgot what particular books I'd read.

Reading this graphic novel of the Nancy Drew And The Hardy Boys really takes me back to my childhood. I'm really grateful that I'd read this; reading Nancy, Joe and Frank's sleuthing skill and crime solving ability is both thrilling and fun to read.

This was a very dark version of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I'm used to the middle-grade take on the famous girl slouth so the dark setting were a surprise to me. But it actually suited me better now that I'm all grown up.

This was an interesting take on the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mystery. The mystery is rather personal and a tad unsettling, however there are many currents and alliances and suspects. I enjoyed the mystery I could not find the characters that I recognized from the traditional Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew stories but I was along for the adventure and once I gave it a try I was able to enjoy the story.

I grew up with Nancy Drew, she was my hero for many years. That being said I wasn’t sure what to expect from his comic but I can definitely say that I loved it. The characters are grown up now, why shouldn’t the mysteries they solve be even more grown up? It had a nice dark, gritty tone to it that kept pushing the story forward. The art was beautiful and a perfect match for the story being told. Loved it and will be keeping an eye out for if this is to be continued.

I'm a longtime fan of both the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. So, I picked up this selection, the NOIR take on the character with curiosity but also with trepidation. Would they completely destroy these beloved characters in an overly gritty grimdark story?

To be honest, the early issues had me nervous. The book begins quite dark with Frank and Joe's father already murdered and them the prime suspects and and Frank being beat up but the lovable Chief Colig from the novels, though he's not so lovable here. No one is to start out with. The book begins with Nancy seeming almost hard as nails as she leads the hapless Hardy's through her plan to find the truth, a plan that puts the Hardys on the wrong side of the law.

The story gets better and you do feel by the end that these characters do relate to the ones in the novel, even in this grittier world. While it's not my preferred take on the characters, it's a respectful one that tells a compelling story with some nice emotional moments.

The artwork helps. It's more stylized than your typical comic book art, but it uses its colors and shading intelligently to help tell the story and it succeeds in building the noir atmosphere. The cover art is particularly striking.

The book isn't without its flaws. Anthony Del Col, like many older writers, is trying to tell a story of modern teenagers and has them using many pop culture references that any teenager would know---if they were alive in a prior decade. In addition, the book tries to randomly re-imagine some other books opened by the same syndicate as the Hardy Boys such as the Bobsey Twins and Tom Swift as a butcher's son (what the heck?) and occasionally I feel like the book tried too hard to be edgy. Still, these were few and far between. If you're open to a different take on the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, this might be a good book for your.

****Disclosure: I Received a free copy from Net Galley in Exchange for an Honest Review***

I was a big fan of Nancy Drew when I was a kid -- everything from the original series dating back to the 30s, to the YA 90s equivalent. Nancy Drew was my jam.

When I saw this graphic novel, I immediately picked it up and I wasn't disappointed. The story was much grittier than the other novels -- updated for a grown-up audience. This story reminded me of how I felt when I read the series for the first time. Gripping, exciting ... can't wait for more!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and Anthony Del Col for this story!

When I was younger, I used to watch Nancy Drew movies and enjoyed them. When I saw this graphic novel, I knew I had to read it!
There are two brothers, the Hardy's: Joe (the blonde) and Frank (the brunette). Their father was murdered and they are accused of doing it. Nancy Drew, "the birdie", will be the one who helps them discover the real criminal. They were good friends back in the childhood, searching for childish mysteries and cases. Nowadays, for the good old days, they do the same thing, but for a serious matter.

Nancy Drew is such a powerful, mysterious and beautiful woman who has affect on the boys, especially on Frank. I really loved her attitude and powerful grit. I also liked the fact that she isn't acting like a robot; she has her own flaws and we get to know more about the relationship father-daughter. I anticipated one clue, but only a part of it. I wasn't expecting the rest.

I loved the end. He come to discover the killer, but we also find out the reason he didn't it, and that leads us to another story. But it's a cliffhanger. I know most of you hate cliffhangers, but I really love them, because I feel the mystery vibe continuing and it makes me want to read even more. And trust me, this ending...

The reason why I give it 3.5 stars is because at some points throughout the story I was lost, not understanding exactly what was happening, and besides that, almost at the end of it there were some balloons missing texts. But I know it isn't the finished version, so it is okay, I guess.

After the end we have some extras about Anthony Del Col (the creator of the story), Werther Dell'edera (the drawer of the characters and pages in general), Stefano Simeone (the illustrator; the one who colored the book and characters), Simon Bowland (the one who created the bubbles with texts) and Fay Dalton (The beautiful woman who draw the cover of this book).
We also have some Q&A between Anthony and all these people. I know at first they look like plain names, but after you read the Q&A (which, by the way, are so funny) you will like them. I know that I did!
And last but not least we have some artwork of the characters. They are exquisite pictures.

Overall, this book was a very good one, but I guess it was just me who got lost on the way. The ending saved it and now I'm really curious about the next one in the series.

For someone who hasn't read any of the books from these famous teen mystery solvers, I could say that I was quiet entertained.

The world is now modern and Nancy and the Boys are seen in a world of different problems. However, I do perceive Nancy as a neat and good girl, not one who seems dark and manipulates people. But what do I know? I can't even remember the film played by Emma Roberts. Frank and Joe are different in this new story too. I believe their characters have changed because supporting characters in the story keep mentioning how they're no longer as close as they used to. I understand, brothers don't always see eye to eye and we're over the plot where two brothers fight over one girl. Or are we?

It still followed the pattern where a mystery -- or a crime in this story -- undergoes two to three suspects before finding the guilty person. I'm not very familiar with the comic/graphic novel world but I am glad this ended with another mystery intact. I can assure you that I am quite intrigued with the next case.

I'm becoming a big fan of classic characters getting a reboot (like Riverdale), and The Big Lie doesn't disappoint. The comic takes goody-two-shoes Nancy Drew along with the Hardy Boys into a darker noir storyline. The mystery is real when the Hardy Boys have to find out who hurt their father, and Nancy's on the case with them.

I loved the storyline and can't wait to read more of this series. As for the artwork, it was in the classic style, but there was nothing that set it apart to create a big wow factor. It suits the needs of the story, but doesn't go beyond that.

Years ago I read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys I could find. When I saw this graphic novel available, I had to sample it!

Dynamite Publication and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published November 28th.

The characters are older in this story and they have moved up to the new technology everyone uses now. The story begins with the boys being questioned about the death of their father; they are being accused of murder!

This is a much more mature case for Nancy and the boys. The boys have conflict between themselves because of their different personalities but they try to work together to find their father's killer. He's accused of being corrupt and they don't believe he could have been but it's hard to disprove.

There's more than one death, they get in trouble and find themselves in danger every other page, and the answer seems to be elusive. Even Nancy's father gets shot!

At the end, they have their father's killer but he was working for a syndicate... Now they'll be after them in the next book.

Nancy Drew and the crew come into the modern world with a bang! This is nor your mother's Nancy Drew!
when their dad is shot dead, the Hardy boys are the number one suspect, there is only one way to find out who killer there father: partner with Nancy Drew who's father is working on a local case. This path isn't like the old days of discovering the mysteries of a local cave. Drew and the boys encounter death, drug running and high stakes poker. Bayport is not the postcard image that it seems.
I grew up reading the Nancy Drew Files. So when I read the original stories I was underwhelmed. But the Big Lie takes the Files a even further. Pitting Drew and the Hardy Boy in a noir world of Bayport is exciting and thrilling. In fact, it's the only reason I thankful to Riverdale and the zombie version of Archie comics; they set the stage for some of the classics to come back darker and more entertaining than ever.
On the down side I got tired of the boys fighting each other as well as posturing over Nancy. Nancy is interested in solving crimes not these two lunk heads. But I did lobe how It brought in other classics such as the Bobbsey twins. I can't wait to see what happens next and how the writers might bring Bess in!

This was definitely not what I was expecting but it was a fun quick read. I have always loved these three characters from as far back as I ca remember. This was a unique take on the Nancy Drew Hardee Boys story. I enjoyed this a lot. Thank you for allowing me to read this and write a review.

I loved this modern retelling of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys! As a huge fan of these two franchises I was not disappointed. I loved the old school style drawings and the mystery was perfect ND/HB. Except there was no kidnapping. There should definitely be kidnapping in the next volume. I loved little touches like bringing Tom Swift and the Bobbsey Twins in briefly and Nancy having a blue VW convertible. I am looking forward to more installments in this series!

I used to be a fan of Nancy Drew back when I was a kid, read some of the books and I believe I even reread a couple of my favourites. I've been meaning to pick up some of the books recently, but couldn't remember which ones I had read in my youth. When I saw this graphic novel on here, I thought it would be perfect as I love graphic novels to bits. Unfortunately, it's been too long since I've read any Nancy Drew, so I had no idea what to expect. While I liked this novel, I thought the art style was not really my thing, and the story just felt different from what I remembered ND to be like. I missed the characters that I read about years ago, and even though the Hardy Boys are supposed to have been around since the beginning, I had no idea how they were. Then again, this graphic novel did make me want to pick up some more Nancy Drew books, so, all in all, it wasn't a bad read!