This was a great foundation to a new comic series. I find it incredible how comics can be so well developed with a portion of writing we normally get in a novel. I’m already invested in the MC’s, I want to know what happens to their planet and know more of their story. Next book please!

Reviews on Goodreads and Amazon.

Start to an origin story about Krypton and Superman's parents (at least I'm assuming at this point). Interested to learn more in book two.

Eh this was just ok. I think if I had been more interested in Superman and his lore I might have liked this better. Not necessarily a bad graphic novel though. The artwork was gorgeous.

I only know some of the basics behind the story of Superman, so I dove into this to try and gain an understanding of why his parents end up sending him to Earth before their planet is destroyed. The graphic novel is beautifully done and is gorgeous to look at. I don't feel that I am any more knowledgeable about the story or why what is happening on Krypton is happening. It seems that those in power are corrupt, don't care about the poor or those less genetically savvy as them, and want to pretend that nothing is happening because if you keep killing off people, then you don't have to spend as much on resources for them. I didn't really get into the characters or their motivations for it, and the ending twist was decent but not that exciting. We'll probably order book two because superhero comics are popular, but it didn't pull me in like I was hoping to.

House of El is a fantastic story. Claudia Gray does a wonderful job fleshing out the world in new and interesting ways, without getting bogged down by the existing expectations of a Superman graphic novel.

Great start to a new series. I love both Claudia Gray and Superman stories, so this one was right up my alley. Loved the illustration style as well. 4./5 stars.

I really appreciate a Superman origin story that's also not remotely a Superman origin story. I wish we had a tiny bit more backstory for our main characters, but I'm completely hooked and need to read the next volume in the series as soon as possible!

A well written story of Superman's parents and the world they lived in. Story moves well and art is good.

I've been a big fan of the DC young adult releases for a few years now, but I wouldn't call myself a real comics person, so I'll admit that I was hesitant going into HOUSE OF EL. I was not nearly as familiar with the lore or mythos as I was with the other DC YA books, but I trusted the brand and the author, Claudia Gray, and pushed on --- and I am so glad I did.

HOUSE OF EL is one of the most fleshed-out and well-developed of the recent DC graphic novels I have read. Gray quickly immerses her readers into the world of Krypton, laying bare the class divides, struggles for scientific advancements and education and even the bizarre governance. There is simply so much story here, even beyond the expected, that I found I could not put the book down until I was done. This book has done more for my understanding of Krypton than any Superman movie, and I cannot wait to see what Gray does with the next installment.

I am not as well-versed in comic art, but I will say that while I found some spreads absolutely breathtaking, others were a bit busy for my eye and I often found myself choosing the text over the art, rather than engaging with them both at once.

*I received this book as an eARC from DC Comics via Edelweiss. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I've really enjoyed Claudia Gray's take on the Star Wars universe. I'm not as familiar with Krypton, but I definitely felt like this story had similar vibes to my favorite Star Wars novel of hers, Lost Stars. There are two protagonists, each representing a different aspect of the people of Krypton. Sera is a soldier risking her life on every mission and Zahn is a privileged guy starting to realize the government isn't quite truthful and doesn't have the people's bets interests in consideration.

I really liked how Krypton is portrayed as a false utopia. There's some interesting commentary on class, sacrifice, and the value of lives. There's also some creepy genetic pre-determination.

I'm sure there are a lot of Superman references that I didn't pick up on. General Zod is featured as well as some future parents.

This is the first book in a trilogy and it definitely feels like that at the end. This isn't a completed story.

I give this book a 4/5. It's an interesting story, but I wasn't completely drawn in. I'm sure people more familiar with the Superman lore will enjoy the details.

Unfortunately, the land of Superman is run by a group of leaders with blinders on… They believe that science can solve everything. From genetic engineering to the terraforming of other planets, the Tribunal thinks that they have achieved perfection, but in reality people are limited by their specialization and planets are just not reacting well to their efforts to turn them into livable environments. I haven’t even mentioned the groundquakes the government denies are even happening. Life on Krypton isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…

The caste system has created a narrow bands of workers, soldiers, and elites. Each are suppose to enjoy their role in accomplishing the leaders’ goals. Yet, there is a firm resistance who have the ear of a couple people in the high-caste. Most specifically Jor-El and his wife Lara (future parents of Superman) who have teamed up with a low-caste soldier named Sera and a group of her friends to investigate what really lies behind this “perfection.”

I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to Krypton, and although I am not very well versed in Superman lore, I was able to jump right into this graphic novel. Grey spends enough time with each character to give them the appreciation the reader needs to really care about them. It’s important to point out that The Shadow Threat is Book One in a trilogy, which increased my interest. I like the idea of a longer story that I can really sink my teeth into. There are times reading graphic novels that I feel rushed through a story. At 150-200 pages, I can rip through one in a couple hours and sometimes I too quickly forget the story.

The only part of the book I couldn’t fully get behind is the artwork. I was hoping for a more modern look, yet I found a strong connection the style of the Silver Age of comic books. (I am no expert at all. This is only a gut reaction from reading my father’s old stack of DCs.) I did like the color palette and how it ties into the caste system. Golds and greens for the upper class and greys and browns for the lowly soldiers.

Overall, this is a mixed review, but one where the positives outweigh the negatives. This is a very good title for YA readers and a series that I would recommend for any of my students who are superhero fans.

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, DC Comics, the author and the illustrator for an advanced copy for review.

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.
This was fascinating! I've not done much reading on Superman, so most of my context is from movies and TV. That said, I always thought of Krypton as this idyllic, advanced, almost perfect society. This book paints a much different picture. Castes, genetic engineering, arrogance, hubris, rebellion. There's some meaty philosophical and social material here, and I liked it. The central characters are a high-born young man and a female soldier with a history together. They are also drawn into the things going on with Krypton - earthquakes, disasters on terraformed planets, political upheaval - and their reactions to what they are seeing and hearing is fascinating. Major cliffhanger after the characters and situation is laid out, so the big reveal of what the Els have discovered will be in book 2. The art here is good, although not my preferred art style. I will definitely be picking up the next book!

I had a great time reading this graphic novel. These two characters couldn’t be more different, but over time they both realize a difficult truth. Things on the planet may be worse than they seem, and those in charge have no desire to do anything about it. If this planet has any hope of surviving, then these two people may need to work together. As this graphic novel comes to a close, it looks like the adventure for them both has only just begun.

Prose (Story): This well-done, highly readable graphic novel is just book one of a proposed trilogy by DC that appears to start at the beginning of what will ultimately become Krypton's downfall as a planet. The Shadow Threat opens on a Krypton where the division between castes seems to grow every day, even as groundquakes that have the lower castes fearing the future of their planet are virtually ignored by the higer-ups, who follow the tribune's "everything's okay - no need to panic" message that's sent over the airwaves across the planet daily, almost as if hypnotizing the populace. Meanwhile, these same leaders are sending military crews out to nearby planets on a massive and seemingly urgent terraforming mission, as if the need may be coming very soon for a new planet for Kyptonians to live on - and when an intelligent, brave female soldier named Sera, along with Zahn, a member of the upper-caste who is secretly working with a militant group determined to expose whatever's really going on with Krypton, learn some startling information about themselves and the genetic makeup of generations of Kryptonians, both must work together to find a way to save a planet that seems ultimately doomed for destruction, even if their fellow Kryptonians don't seem to either understand or care about it.

Don's (Review): Though I wasn't sure about the story at first, Claudia Gray's characters and plot sucked me in pretty quickly, both as gritty as Eric Zawadzki's precise artwork that gives you a sense of the intimacy of character in some panels ... and both the beauty, and now-lost beauty of different sections of Krypton the next. Pretty much anyone who knows Superman's story knows what ultimately befalls Krypton, but The Shadow Threat gives readers a nice backstory that teases at potentially answering some of the questions that remain of the cause behind what happened to Krypton in the end. The multi-layered political, social and personal plotlines are nicely textured - especially for a graphic novel - and toward The End I rememberd this was only book one so I was ulikely to get a wrapped-up/satisfying conclusion here ... but again, was surprised when, though definitely the expected cliffhanger, the ending provided more closure to the actual events going on in this book than I expected. But seriously: 2022 for volume two?? No way! (Available January 5) 4/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

House of El: The Shadow Threat takes place not too long before Clark Kent was born, when the planet was still alive and apparently thriving. Sera and Zahn know each other despite being from different classes. Due to their varied circumstances, both Sera and Zahn come to learn that everything on Krypton is not what it seems. Sera receives a secret message from Jor-El and Lara-El, whom we know to be Clark Kent’s parents. Little does Sera know that answering the Els’ call will let her in on a huge secret that will change her life and the life of Zahn forever.

House of El: The Shadow Threat is written by New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray. What I appreciate about Gray’s writing is she basically is creating an entire new world. Sure, Krypton is a planet that most people who know even a little bit about Superman are familiar with, but this story provides a huge opportunity to explore Krypton and its culture.

Eric Zawadzki, who is most well-known for The Dregs and Eternal, lends his pen to the art in this graphic novel. What stands out the most in Zawadzki’s art is how there is so much action in each panel.

Overall, I enjoyed House of El: The Shadow Threat. Admittedly, stories that are more sci-fi in nature are not generally something that I read. So, it took me some time to get into the plot. However, the main characters are very personable, and I enjoyed learning about them throughout. How they interacted with their friends and those in authority felt very real.

I recommend House of El: The Shadow Threat to those who enjoy space and sci-fi stories and to anyone who would like to know more about Superman’s home world. The graphic novel ends on a cliff hanger that sets the reader up for book two in the series, House of El: The Enemy Delusion, which is set to come out in the spring of 2022. I’m not going to spoil the ending, but I think just like myself, readers will be excited to see what comes next when they see the very last panel!

My full review can be found here: https://thegeekiary.com/before-the-destruction-of-krypton-house-of-el-the-shadow-threat-graphic-novel-review/90803

The mainstream comic book audience is ageing. The biggest publishers of superhero fare, DC and Marvel, have long ago discovered this trend. In an effort to retain their readers, both publishers have shifted the bulk of their output to suit the tastes of more mature readers. Regrettably, this approach has made it difficult for children and young adults to find an “in” with the publishers. Despite movies based on Marvel and DC characters grossing hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, the source material only has a small fraction of this audience.

Both publishers have, in recent years, made a concerted effort to put more all-ages and young adult products on the market. At DC, this effort took the form of “DC Ink”, which has since been renamed “DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults”, an imprint that attempts to present traditional DC characters in a new way for young adult readers.

The House of El Book One: The Shadow Threat is the first in a new trilogy of graphic novels and is clearly a part of this effort to draw in new, younger readers. Written by prolific young adult author Claudia Gray, with art by Eric Zawadzki, the book attempts to put a new twist on the story of the demise of the planet Krypton. 

Gray, best known for her Evernight series and her work as a Star Wars novelist, has to face a pretty substantial challenge with The House of El: is it possible to present the last days of the planet Krypton, Superman’s home world, in a new way after so many writers have put their spin on the story in the past? To her credit, the answer is a resounding “yes”.

The basic canvas of the story is familiar: Krypton is experiencing mysterious ground quakes, but the planet’s leadership seems unwilling or unable to face this challenge, instead hiding behind propaganda and false reassurances. Few seem to question their leaders, in part because Kryptonians are carefully bred into a caste system of sorts. Each class of citizens has been specifically bred for the traits needed to fulfil their roles in society.

Rather than focusing on the usual suspects, such as General Zod and Superman’s parents, Gray instead introduces two new characters: Zahn, one of Krypton's elites, and Sera, a soldier in Krypton’s army. Although some of Krypton’s most famous denizens do eventually make an appearance, they play second fiddle to the trials and tribulations of these two teenagers. This, ultimately, breathes new life into the story of Krypton.

Zahn is bred for power, wealth, and leadership, while Sera, as a soldier, is bred for bravery and fearlessness. Both, however, begin to question society and their own roles in it, and ultimately join forces to unravel the mystery behind Krypton’s ground quakes, the political machinations of their leaders, and the strange experiments conducted by the House of El.

What makes The Shadow Threat so successful, however, is that it is simply a really good science fiction story. Like all of the best science fiction stories, it raises serious questions about topics with clear modern-day parallels, such as morality, fate, natural disasters, socioeconomic classes, and genetic engineering. For a graphic novel aimed squarely at the young adult market, the story is thematically rich and never talks down to its audience.

Gray has a history of including romance in her young adult fiction, and this holds true for The Shadow Threat, as well. It is, however, the weakest element of the story. The mutual attraction between Zahn and Sera, so far at least, adds little to the larger themes. Since two additional books in the series are on the way, however, Gray may yet make this part of her story work in future instalments.

Eric Zawadzki’s art, on the other hand, does a great job bringing the thematic richness of the story to life. The art, unlike much of DC’s regular output, avoids the exaggerated physiques of superheroes for a more grounded, realistic approach to its characters. There’s a clean, almost Spartan quality to the art that allows for great expressiveness of the characters, but the art never comes across as cartoony or simplistic.

Dee Cunniffe’s colours are also expertly executed. Backgrounds are usually rendered in various shades of a singular colour, while individual characters receive more detailed colouring. The shift in background colour is often an effective means of communicating not just location, but tone. A break-in at an official building features golden tones, while terraforming attempts on an inhospitable planet are bathed in reds.

The biggest drawback of this approach to colour may be that blues are used to communicate the coldness and sterility of Kryptonian culture. Various shades of blue serve as the default colour scheme, which causes many scenes and locations to blend together a bit. At the same time, however, this approach helps those instances when background colours shift to really stand out.

In the end, The Shadow Threat is a fascinating take on the last days of the planet Krypton. Sera and Zahn are interesting characters who each go through their own crisis of faith and in doing so, grapple with many questions that have clear parallels in our own society. It ultimately succeeds as a piece of young adult science fiction. As the beginning of a new trilogy exploring the end of Kryptonian civilisation, it is a worthy addition to the Superman mythos.

I’m going to admit that I’m not as versed in the Superman lore as I am other superheroes. (I definitely wasn’t in the dark, having grown up with shows like Lois and Clark) That being said, I immediately knew I wanted to read this book because Claudia Gray wrote one of my favorite novels ever (Lost Stars).

Thankfully I knew enough about Supes and Krypton to not be lost and I was easily sucked into the story of Zhan and Sera, two young people from different walks of life who’s lives are entwined. As a fan of the aforementioned Lost stars, which dealt with a similar set up, it was right up my alley.

The art from Eric Zawadzki was appealing in a way that made this planet seem familiar but strange and alien at the same time. The colors worked perfectly to easily showcase what caste people were a part of.

My only qualm? That it wasn’t longer! I’m eager to read the next installment (well over a year away) especially since I plowed through this pretty quickly.

This graphic novel is great for the major Superman fan to the casual, and can be a gateway to wanting to learn more about the faster than a speeding bullet superhero.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going into this comic, but I absolutely loved what I found upon reading. The House of El tells the story of Krypton in the days leading up to its ultimate demise, from the perspective of two young people going against their genetically programmed roles to see beyond the lies of the planetary leadership. The dystopian setting of the story was sooo engrossing, and it was honestly just made all the more interesting by the fact that everybody knows Krypton will be destroyed. I was at first disgusted by the mindset of almost every single person in the story, until I realized that’s the point and every single person is lacking vital aspects of their humanity (and that is ultimately leading to their inevitable apocalypse). I think one of the most interesting things about the story were the similarities to our own world, and how people can believe the word of those in charge that their blind to all the ways we’re literally destroying our planet. I’m very excited for the next two books to this series, and I honestly now have an urge to go on a comic book reading streak. Very strongly recommend to all fans of DC, comics, and dystopian/sci-fi stories in general.

I don't really read comic books often, but this was a solid read!

Set before Superman is even born, Krypton is beginning to break down. Citizens face constant earthquakes and a rebellion is forming. The story follows Zahn, a young elite born to Krypton's highest caste, and Sera, a soldier genetically programed to sacrifice her life for Krypton, as they join together to help save their home.

The plot is very fast paced. I don't think you need to have much knowledge about the Superman universe, which makes it easier to follow if you're not really familiar with this world (like me!).

The characters are very enjoyable. I liked that they each had their own inner struggles with their identity and how they decided to face them. You also get a look at Zod, Jor-El, and Lara before the events of Superman, which I thought was very cool.

I also really liked the topics of genetics and what it means to not have a choice in what you do or how you act. Each person on Krypton is programed and designed for a specific role on the planet yet have no say in whether that is truly what they want.

However, because it's a graphic novel, it's too short to fully flush out all the characters and plot. I'm hoping that the next books follow more on Sera and her identity outside of being a soldier as well as a bigger focus on the growing rebellion.

I definitely recommend this comic if you're interested in exploring more of the Superman universe or if you're looking to read more science fiction.

Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.

House of El is a story of Kryptonians before Superman is even born. There is an impending doom of the planet that the Tribunes refuse to admit is real, but citizens are starting to act out and investigate what's happening. A group of dissenters recruits Zohn, of the House of Re, who is part of the upper caste and destined to become one of Krypton's future leaders. Zohn knows that the earthquakes are getting worse and could be a sign that the planet is near to collapse. Elsewhere, Zohn's cousin, Lara, wife of Jor-El, is experimenting with rewriting the genetic code of Kryptonians in order to introduce missing elements left out from generations of genetic manipulation. Their chosen subject is Sera, an Ur, a lower caste, genetically engineered soldier bred to be completely loyal to Krypton. Urs are modified to live life without fear, without questioning orders, and without regard to their own lives. Lara hopes to create a better soldier with some semblance of self-preservation, believing that these omitted traits are essential for Kryptonians to fully serve their society.

The pre-collapse of Krypton is an interesting time in Superman's lore, as many people often question how an advanced civilization didn't realize their own planet was doomed. This series has started to explain what happened, and I appreciate the direction Gray is taking in her rendition of Krypton. There are some familiar characters: General Zod, who is Sera’s commanding officer, and Jor-El and wife Lara, Superman's parents. There isn't a ton of prerequisite knowledge needed to jump into this title, so this is a perfect place for new fans to get into Superman stories. There is one heck of a cliffhanger here, the frustration of which is compounded by a volume two release date of 2022.

Zawadzki's illustrations beautifully depict the futuristic society of Krypton. Most of the world is set in a light blue with decadent gold accents. The places frequented by the lower caste are anchored in browns and darker, dingy colors. Action sequences are fluid and easy to follow.

There are some action sequences with explosions, earthquakes that destroy buildings, and gunfire fighting, but no gore is seen on the page. This title would easily find a home on middle school and high school shelves.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-10

This review was made possible with a digital reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley