Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

Nubia is such an iconic character and this book was such a great addition to her story. I loved the take on this and the colours and art really stuck out

Dear Nubia: Real One by @ll_mckinney and @robrosmo -

I love you. I loved Nubia, Wonder Woman's twin sister who was stolen, recovered, and adopted by an amazing lesbian couple in secrecy. I loved Nubia's queerness, her ride-or-die friends, her cute crush, her loving moms, but mostly, I loved her ANGER.

You show us the power of Nubia's anger, how keeping her head down won't save her (from racism, from homophobia, from misogyny, from police and angry white boys with guns), but maybe, her anger will.

When Nubia refuses to back down, when she steps into herself, by going to the protest, stopping robbers, preventing a sexual assault, she grows in her power.

Nubia loves, and cares, and thinks (and overthinks). She is real, and she is angry, she is Black, and she is powerful.

You are an incredible graphic novel, but wow you are also what we need. In the midst of trauma and pain and exhaustion, Nubia and her silver gauntlets are the fire that may help someone keep going, keep trying. Thank you. I love you.

Yes, there are cool action scenes and fun dancy, fun panels with the besties but my FAVORITE pages from Nubia: Real One are the ones of Nubia's parents embracing her. Loving on her. In a year that continues to drown us in Black death, these pages ring true. 🖤 I just want to see more Black girls protected and loved and alive.

Reading Nubia: Real One by the creative team of L.L. McKinney and Robyn Smith has
me thankful for such small moments of comfort and love for teenage Nubia in the YA reimaging of Wonder Woman's twin sister living in a time of Black Lives Matter, racial inequality, school violence and living amongst those who don't respect boundaries or care about consent. There are several scary moments like Nubia having a police officer hold a loaded gun at her as she's on her way home to an intense series of moments when her high school goes on lockdown due to an active shooter on campus.
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This graphic novel address a question: “Can you be a hero…if society doesn’t see you as a person?” Being young gifted and (openly) Black, this version of Nubia can most definitely be a hero, an avatar for those who see themselves in a world that doesn’t always look kindly to them. This is a graphic novel that speaks to Black girlhood, coming of age in turbulent times and becoming the hero you need, first and foremost. Ultimaetly, I really wanna see Black girl win. Fictional and real. This book fulfills that need in comic book form.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library collection and will recommend it to students.

DC Comics first introduced Wonder Woman’s Black twin sister Nubia back in 1973. Now, author LL McKinney is bringing Nubia to a new generation of readers with her young-adult graphic novel, Nubia: Real One.

McKinney grew up reading Nubia, and had long wanted to showcase the character, as she explained during a recent Virtuous Con panel.

“She deserved to be back to who she was, Wonder Woman’s twin sister … her equal in every way,” McKinney said. “I wanted to bring her back to that.”

Her years of pitches paid off on two fronts. McKinney wrote two new Nubia stories that are part of the Immortal Wonder Woman DC Comics series. And Nubia: Real One, with illustrations by Robyn Smith, gives us Nubia as a Black teen.

Nubia is a superhero learning how and when to use her powers. She’s also a 17-year-old who sneaks out to a party and summons her bravery to talk to a crush. She’s equal parts superhero and high-schooler, reflected in the storyline and in the color palette Smith helped choose, full of pink hues.

“I love the color pink a lot,” Smith said at Virtuous Con. “For me, conflating that with power is something I really wanted to do in the book.”

Nubia and her mothers, Amera and Danielle, have had to move from city to city to avoid detection. They’ve been successful so far at their latest stop, and Nubia’s bonded with pals Jason and Quisha. But there are also bullies and harassers at school and in their community. Nubia hones her power by doling out righteous, thrilling justice.

As the graphic novel opens, we see her foil a convenience-store robbery. She runs off to avoid onlookers who witness her immense strength, and sits on the curb to gather her thoughts. A police cruiser pulls up and the officer begins questioning her, insisting she matches the description of one of the thieves.

“Kids like us get shot,” Nubia thinks, as tears start to fall.

“See, you crying like this makes me think you’ve got something to hide, and you don’t want me finding out,” the officer pushes.

Such scenes reflect a reality not often depicted in comics. McKinney, author of the young-adult A Blade So Black trilogy, said she’d hear on school visits from students who loved superhero stories, but didn’t see themselves and their communities represented.

“They’d say, ‘It’s really neat how you can have these heroes that can avert natural disasters … but none of them seem to deal with anything that affects the Black community’,” she said. “I’m going to give these kids that hero.”

Importantly, McKinney and Smith also show us Amera and Danielle’s deep support and nurturing of their daughter, from the comfort, advice and inspiration the mothers share to their well-meaning boundaries. We see Nubia’s budding romance with Oscar, and her joy, especially in panels that show parts of a house party she attends. In Nubia: Real One, Nubia gets to be a hero with her full humanity on display.

“She doesn’t need her strength with her friends and family,” McKinney said. “Her strength is the people around her.”

It’s a layered portrait of nascent power that should both entertain devotees and amplify Nubia for new fans.

(DC Comics, Feb. 23, 2021)

I loved that this was entirely BIPOC created! I loved Nubia's moms and her friends as well. I didn't love the artwork as much as the storyline itself, but that's a quibble more than anything.

The importance of a book like this can't be overstated. It combines something most teens like (superheroes) with real world events they need to know about, such as racism, police brutality and the fact of how terrifying it can be to be a black person simply trying to EXIST in today's America. A must read!

I absolutely loved this story and I hope that Nubia's journey can be continued in future books. Not only was I able to relate to Nubia and see myself in her, but I could also see how the modern treatment of Black teens in America shaped this story. I'm not much of a superhero person, but I did catch on easily to the use of Wonder Woman and contrasting her with the treatment of Nubia due to her being Black and perceived as a threat because of her race. I also enjoyed the love shown in Nubia's family, they were different in many ways from others but the love was visibly there holding them together. The story told was powerful and the writing pulled me in with ease. I definitely will be picking up my own physical copy and gifting some copies to my younger sisters and nieces!

There's so much to say about this book, and I find I can barely find the words to say it all. It was just that amazing.

This book deals with some tough issues--racial injustice, sexual harrassment/near assault, gun violence. But the way the issues are folded into Nubia's experience feels so important. They are handled with lots of sensitivity, though I do still warn against reading for those who might find these issues triggering.

Nubia herself is one of my all-time favorite comic book characters now. McKinney's version of her is so full of spunk and love and joy--I immediately loved her with all my heart. I hated seeing her pain, but what so thrilled to see her courage when she stepped up. She is not a rebellious teenager, buts he finds in order to do the right thing, she has to break some rules sometimes. I loved her relationship with her friends and her moms--she has some struggles with them, as her friends don't know everything about her and her moms don't want her to show everything about her because it would put her in danger. But they are all so loving and it made me so happy to see Nubia had so much support surrounding her.

The pacing in this book is quick, but it never felt choppy or awkward. Nubia's arc as she figures out how to be herself felt totally organic and it ended in the best way. The dialogue is fun and the action is excellent. And the ART. Oh my gosh. It is so gorgeous, with it's bright, bold colors and character styling. I couldn't stop looking at it.

Overall Feelings

This is by far one of my favorite graphic novels now, and I know I'll be reading it over and over again in the future.

Every library everywhere needs at least on copy of Nubia: Real One. This book is so timely and my god, so intersectional! The characters are all so diverse and so, so real. The one thing I don't completely love is the art, which isn't to say that it's bad, it's just not my personal preference. It certainly doesn't detract from the absolute amazingness that is Nubia: Real One. Again, every library needs this book!

I had a really hard time deciding whether or not I was going to post this review. Sometimes when I get a review copy the art is unfinished. Usually it is pretty obvious so I can base my review on the pages that are finished and still get a feel for what the entire book will look like. The colors in Nubia were so muddy that it made it hard to read. It was like there were too many shades too close together. I am hoping it was because I was reading on my phone and had a review copy. I really wanted to like this book. There are trigger warnings for racial injustice, police brutality, and a school shooter. The story seems exciting and something I would really enjoy, but the art and colors were too much of a distraction and I ended up abandoning the book. I will check it out again later and edit my review if my copy was just unfinished.

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

I enjoyed this graphic novel spotlighting Wonder Woman's sister, a storyline that was previously unfamiliar to me. The Wonder Woman pieces of this are small - she's really there as a contrast to point out how she is more easily accepted by society because she is White. Nubia, with the same powers, is looked upon with suspicion because she is Black.

There are two primary threads to this. One thread deals with Nubia's journey to independence (typical teen things with her moms PLUS the secrecy surrounding her powers). The other highlights racial injustice and the ways Nubia and her friends fight back. The author packs a lot of story into this graphic novel, and I enjoyed it! I appreciated that the publisher includes a content warning on the copyright page as well as support resources at the end of the book. (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: racism, sexism, sexual assault, gun violence, school shooter)

This graphic novel is so amazing especially for a huge DC fan such as myself. It follows Nubia who has superpowers that she's kept secret for all her life but now she must figure out whether she should continue to stay in hiding or use her powers for good to help the ones that she loves. The illustrations and colors in this book are gorgeous. I love the portrayal of Black hair especially and the use of lots of pinks and purples. I also really liked the story! Nubia learns so much about herself and her family and what kind of person she wants to be and the reality she faces are the reality for many young Black kids (with and without superpowers). Trigger warnings for police brutality and Black trauma. Highly recommend this one!

Summer vacation, racial tensions, and super powers… Not to mention a crush, a bully, and a solid group of friends. Nubia: Real One is an awesome graphic novel that highlights McKinney’s ability as a storyteller. I was constantly impressed with the expression of Nubia’s character: the strength but also the vulnerability in the face of all the obstacles life throws at her.

The story starts with Nubia hanging with her friends outside of a convenience store. They’re talking about what they are going to do with their summer. Jason is going to soccer camp, Quisha will be going on a road trip with her family, and according to Nubia’s mothers, she’ll be spending her time doing something “safe and quiet.” But when Nubia sees her crush going into the store she gets the guts up to ‘get a refill,’ aka follow Carlos into the store. Unfortunately, Nubia walks right into a robbery. In no time, the masked men have Carlos on the ground and are threatening him… Nubia is forced to use her powers to toss an ATM machine across the store to disrupt the criminals. That’s enough to break up the hold-up and let her escape!

But Nubia has revealed her powers and the cops quickly catch up to her for questioning. Just minutes into summer and it’s definitely not safe, nor quiet! Thus, Nubia’s balancing act begins. Can she hide her powers, stay connected to her friends, and quite possibly get to know Carlos a little better… all in the face of systemic racism?

This graphic novel blew me away. I was impressed with the art work… the colors and raw energy of Nubia’s world. Her outfits, her hair (I loved it!), and the action scenes were great. I was glued to this superhero story that cuts right across 2020: BLM and the fight against police brutality. This book includes representation of POC, LGBTQIA, and the stark reality of growing up as a young POC woman in these divisive times. She is so powerful but not without the strength of her mothers and a special visit from someone we all know…

My highest recommendation: I hadn’t even started this review and I had already emailed my school’s librarian about this Nubia! What do we do with great literature? We want to go out and share it!

5 out of 5 stars.

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

Check out a preview: https://www.dccomics.com/reader/#/comics/452010 and to purchase this graphic novel: https://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/nubia-real-one

Nubia has been hiding her powers to protect herself in a world where existing as a black girl puts her in danger even before her super strength is in evidence. This superhero origin story isn't about an overwhelming thirst for vengeance or a bad case of ennui. It's about standing up for your friends, fighting back against an unjust society, and facing down moral corruption. It's a coming-of-age story where Nubia must decide how much she wants to hide and from whom. It's a story about embracing oneself instead of apologizing for it.

The story features so many beautiful relationships. Nubia's sweet family dynamic with her moms, her fierce friendships, and her adorable first romance all brought a smile to my face. I also loved the art, which conveyed so much emotion and atmosphere in each scene. Plus, you know I'm here for rose gold bracers any day.

I would urge all readers to pay attention to the trigger warnings for this graphic novel because there are several. I would note that this is not because the story is using traumatic topics as a plot device or opportunity to sensationalize. The topics are heavy because it's the reality of racism and violence in our society. If we want superhero stories to have relevance, they need to address these pressing issues that endanger and ultimately take so many lives.

I highly recommend this graphic novel. I hope this is the direction of superhero stories moving forward because Nubia is the kind of hero that is not only shaped by our reality but also provides a template for how we should all strive to behave in said reality.

I loved it. At first I wasn't sure what to expect. The flow felt slightly off on the first few pages, but it seemed to smooth out as I went along and got more and more into the story. I loved the characters, I loved the message, I loved the romance. Overall I really enjoyed it!


Not really a spoiler but I will say that the backstory for her was a little disappointing simply because I wanted something more personal and unique to her. But at the same time it was still cool and I'm glad that it didn't really change much about how the story went in the end. The story was more about her as a black girl learning how to deal with that AND her gifts and how her race effects her.

I dunno, I just friggin loved it.

Nubia: Real One is a DC Comics young adult graphic novel featuring Wonder Woman’s twin sister by author L.L. McKinney and artist Robyn Smith. The story focuses on Nubia’s life as a teenager dealing with school violence, racial inequality, and other issues many young people of color face today.

The story begins outside a gas station convenience store where Nubia and her friends Jason and LaQuisha are hanging out discussing what they want to do during their upcoming summer vacation. They have no idea how exciting their summer vacation, especially for Nubia, is going to turn out to be. While they are talking, a boy named Oscar who Nubia has a crush on goes into the store. Nubia’s friends take off in hopes that it’ll force Nubia to talk with Oscar. Little does Nubia know, this is where her adventure begins.

The graphic novel is written by fan favorite young adult author L.L. McKinney. McKinney is an advocate for equality and inclusion in written works. This is her first novel with DC Comics and it does not disappoint. She creates a world that is very real and not much different from our own. She does not shy away from the racism, violence, and inequality that people of color face.

I highly recommend Nubia: Real One to anyone who would like to learn a little more about Wonder Woman’s twin sister. The story is very inspirational and can teach us all a lot about what it means to grow up in a world with so much racial inequality. After reading this graphic novel, I definitely want to read more about Nubia!

My full review can be found here: https://thegeekiary.com/meet-wonder-womans-twin-sister-nubia-real-one-graphic-novel-review/92515

Nubia has always been strong- so strong that as a toddler she uprooted a tree trying to save her neighbor's cat. That kind of strength has drawn too much attention more times than Nubia can count- which is why she and her moms have moved so many times. And while she doesn't want to draw unwanted attention, Nubia also feels compelled to stand up for the people she cares about. All of those feelings are complicated further by being Black in a society that isn't always kind to Black people who stand out.

This book does a great job of highlighting not just how someone with superhuman strength would struggle with their ability and the attention it garners, but also how that experience is shaped by being Black. Nubia faces off against police officers, racist classmates, and how the world, in general, perceives her. I think it is incredibly important that authors use their platform to highlight the conditions of our world when they can, and L. L. McKinney does so with great skill. Just as many of my students face these issues daily, so does Nubia- just in an enhanced way that encourages the reader to consider how the world treats Black people, and in this case, Black heroes, differently.

I loved reading Nubia's story. The plot moved along smoothly and graphics were clear to read. I wasn't blown away with the coloring or images in this collection, but didn't hate them neither. This story covered many relevant societal issues such as police brutality, assault, school shootings, and racism. All issues were tied together and relevant to Nubia's life as a Black teen and I really enjoyed seeing this representation in this Wonder Woman YA graphic novel.