My son, aged 8, is an avid graphic novel reader. We read this together and it has the makings of a start to a great series. Full of humour and heroic escapades, this is a fun book for young readers.

I feel bad, but I was not really into this. Don’t get me wrong, the art and the story weren’t bad, but I kept finding myself looking to see how much longer I had left.

You don’t really get too much backstory besides for Grandma. So I liked her, but for the other characters, they didn’t seem fully fleshed out. Pax was interesting, but he came across as kind of whiny. I know he’s young and all, but he was just okay to me. As I mentioned, Grandma was the best character.

I’m not going to harp that I wasn’t into this because I think most other people will enjoy this if they’re into hero graphic novels. I just wasn’t feeling it myself.

Thanks for NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Will be posted on Amazon shortly.

Cute start to a kids graphic novel series, I enjoyed it as an adult reader too!
Pax is a kid figuring out who he wants to be and he has a supportive family around him. It’s all draped in fantasy and super powers but at the heart it’s a story about a kid figuring out who he is and what he wants. His family loves him even if he’s a bit different from them. (They’re heroes that punch problems. He’d like to cook and talk things out.)
I’d hand this one to a kid of the right age, maybe 10, who liked fantasy or superhero stories quite happily.

This first volume of Pax Samson is a great start to a new series. Pax is a 12 year old born with psychic abilities because of his superhero lineage: his paternal grandma is Grandma Samson, a famous superhero who has been doing what she can to save and serve people for 400 years. It is set in a universe with humans living alongside enchanted beings like elves and dragons, with a school for all beings to train to become superheroes should they choose to.

Pax isn't entirely sure whether he wants to be a superhero, though. He is also a very talented chef, and part of his character development across this volume is him considering whether he should hang up his mask and focus on cooking instead.

I love that this story centres such a loving Black family dynamic, with a range of different personalities, abilities, and flaws. I also really liked the friendship between Pax and Prince Azul. The art style definitely suits the story, and I appreciated that the dialogue boxes were colour coded to show which characters were speaking in frames where it might not be clear (e.g. during flashbacks). I also liked that there was an ongoing story arc in addition to shorter plot points in each chapter, and Grandma Samson's backstory being shown as well as told.

I hope that future volumes of this series will provide more opportunities for the development of other characters, including their backstories, as I have plenty of questions about some of them!

Overall this was a wholesome and enjoyable read which I am sure many readers will love, from preteens up to adults. I will be recommending it to the library of the school I work in upon its release.

Content warnings: violence; slavery (brief descriptions); death of loved ones (brief mentions)

Many thanks to Oni Press for giving me access to this title through NetGalley so that I could write this honest review!

I was initially meh about another superhero graphic for kids, but this title won me over on the *first page*.

Gray-haired Grandma Samson and her partner Space Cowboy enjoying a little camp coffee while talking about handing over the family business after 400 years of heroing? Their relationship was so loving and cute, the exposition was intriguing: I was immediately hooked.

Pax Samson is a cutie, his super cooking/psy-skills are just good and ridiculous enough that you can believe why he is nervous to set out as a real hero, and also why he (spoiler) ultimately triumphs.

I really wanted to love this. A Black family of superheroes and the legacy of their youngest son. But the plot was all over the place and it just felt like all the pieces were there for a good story but it never got out together properly.

Review by J.P. C., Age 10

In O.K. Town, on the planet Sotellis, humans and enchanted people live together. A long time ago, an enemy of the enchanted, Odin, tried to enslave humans. The hero, Lionstar, defeats Odin, saves the planet, and is celebrated each year for his victory.

Pax is part of the Human race but has superpowers and loves to cook. His specialty is Dragon Noodle Soup which he makes each year at the celebration for Lionstar. Pax worries he gets in everyone’s way because he’s not as good at using his power as he is at cooking. As Pax learns about his family’s past, he is proud of his super abilities. He practices to get better and learns he can enjoy cooking and be a good superhero.

When Lionstar is summoned from his death and the humans of O.K. Town are in danger, you question if Lionstar is the actual hero. It’s up to Pax, his family, and his best friend, Azul to save the humans.

My favorite part is near the end when Pax, his family, and Azul fight Lionstar by working together to attack his magical army.

I liked the illustrations because they made it easier to understand what was happening in the story.

I wish there were more details about what happened in the past when Lionstar first saved the planet.

Kids ages 9-11 who enjoy comic books, adventures, and superheroes would enjoy this book.

I give this book 3.5 (rounded to 4) stars.

Love this - the art and characters fit wonderfully with the high energy story. My daughter adores Pax and jumps around the house doing superhero moves whenever she's done reading bits. The dynamism in the movement sequences is fantastic, and I love the day to day of superheroing, as well as the parental and grandparental influences that give Pax's life three dimensionality.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for an eARC of this title.

This was a very fun opening to a new comic series. Pax isn’t sure about who he is or if he wants to be a superhero like the rest of his family. He doesn’t feel like he fits in and has a love of cooking. I really enjoyed this story about finding yourself and discovering who you want to be. Pax is so sweet and so concerned with his friends and family’s safety.

I really loved the art in this comic too. It was so colourful and bright. I found all the colours and the art design so much fun! The world and creatures was so amazing. I loved all the different cultures and the history sprinkled within the story. It made the story feel completely fleshed out and well thought-out. I really enjoyed this first installment of the series. I would absolutely love to see more from this series. I think it’s perfect for kids who are interested in superheroes or comics.

Rating:4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC of Pax Samson Volume 1: The cookout.

This graphic novel follows twelve year old Pax as he struggles to train and fit in with the family business- being a superhero.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. As always, Oni Press has really cute, colourful and pleasing artwork. I originally requested this graphic novel purely because I was so pulled in by the cover and I was not let down by the artwork inside. The artist has done an amazing job bringing Pax and the rest of the characters to life. I absolutely loved all of the different races and body types represented, especially Grandma, a curvy queen!

Speaking of Grandma, Pax's grandparents were by far my favourites in this novel. They are super cool, kicking ass and taking names!

I loved the family dynamic of the Samson family. They are a wonderful family, always building each other up and encouraging eachother, as well as a healthy amount of teasing and banter like we all have with our families!

I really enjoyed the flashback story where we got to find out about Odin and what happened between the humans and gifted beings.

I think that this graphic novel will be a big hit with young readers, and I am really looking forward to recommending Pax Samson: The Cookout to some of my students (I know one person who will absolutely devour a book about a teenager training to be a superhero!)

Overall, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to seeing where the next colume takes us as there were some parts of the story left open for the next volume.

Pax Samson Volume 1 is a cute story about a young boy named Pax who’s discovering who he is as a superhero and where he fits among his renowned superhero family. I like the idea of a family of superheroes, and I feel like the author(s) set up the Grandma’s backstory really well to show insight into her character as well as establish context for the main villain in this volume. Furthermore, the art in this graphic novel is gorgeous; I loved looking at the illustrations from page to page, especially the action sequences! I’m very much looking forward to Volume 2 of this series.

Just the premise and cover had me wanting to pick this one up and I was not disappointed. While many may look at this like a fun, superhero story with mystical races and situations - it is far deeper than that. It hints to many real world issues that are prevalent today and the personal journey that Pax goes through is also a very real situation that many people have to work through. Deciding on your path and journey is something that pretty much everyone deals with and the conversations that Pax had with his family were real and refreshing. The color palette and art style went perfectly with the setting and scenes and were fun and dynamic. I definitely look forward to reading the future volumes and finding out what else happens with Pax, his family and friends.

Pax Samson is a twelve-year-old who has made the decision to enter into the family business of being a superhero. He's not totally sold on this choice, and we get to see his journey learning, fighting, and challenging the status quo.

My favorite aspect of this was the Samson family. The reader gets to see how the family members support and encourage each other, even when they occasionally poke fun (his cousin, "Pinnacle", never wears a shirt). Pax, for example, is a budding chef. His family never tells him to stop exploring this interest. Instead they all appreciate his skill. When he questions being a hero, no one invalidates these difficult feelings. Instead, they listen and encourage him to take time to figure things out. I loved the depictions of healthy and loving communication!

This volume sets up the next well, not wrapping every story. I also thought there was a good balance of providing history of this planet and the Samson family history. It all ties in with why Grandma is dedicated to protecting as well as serving their city. She had a great quote, "There's more to what we do than just fighting bad guys and stopping immediate threats." It's a strong reminder that we all can benefit from serving and building our communities.

The art was bright and bold. It was the perfect color palette for a story about magic and superheroes.

I can't wait for more!

The storytelling is not the best. The story seems to try to pack in a ton into the first couple of panels. I like the character designs over all. Always applaud more black super heros

Pax Samson is a fun filled graphic novel for middle graders. However, it can be enjoyed by anyone. It's the story of Pax, the youngest of the Samson Superhero family. He's not sure if he wants to continue in his families footsteps. He loves to cook. But while trying to figured out what he wants, he is thrown into all sorts of sticky situation with his family and friends.

This is definitely one of those cute reads. The artwork is vibrant and really eye catching. I do love a graphic novel that is in colour instead of just black and white. The story is action packed. Filled with Superhero "fighting" and interesting backstory that involved Odin. Who doesn't love a Viking twist. Right? This will definitely keeps the kids engaged to see what happens next.

One the aspects I thought was done well was the fact Pax and his family support each other. Pax is struggling with the idea of being a superhero and isn't sure if that's what he really wants because he has a love for cooking which is he Amazing at. However, his family support him and let him decide for himself by just being there for him.

If you're needing something light and fun then keep an eye out for this in the near future.

Thanks to Netgalley and Oni Press for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

This was a very cute, very accessible graphic novel with a really interesting concept. Pax, born in to a family of superheores has a passion for cooking and loves to be in the kitchen. Vol one of his story shows his dealing with the intersection of his 2 passions, and coming to terms with familial expectations. I love the strong matriarchal character of this family, and it is so nice to see how well the family dynamics are displayed.
The artwork in this graphic novel is just unbelievable, and I would thoroughly recommend checking this out.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Oni Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A cute and magical superhero story.
3.75 but round up to 4 Stars

Pax isn't sure if he wants to fulfil his dream of being a chef or follow his families legacy of being a hero. Trials within his life, family, and world show him that choices are still not black and white even after missions.

This story has such a welcoming, healthy family tone, and they never force him into their legacy; they help him understand both his choices and support both, which is so refreshing. The world-building is fascinating with a mix of sci-fi, lore, magic and touches on Xenophilia.

My only note is that it can be confusing at times because we don't know the history between characters when it acts like we do, just because the characters do. It rushes into the story at the beginning, when I wish I would have established more first.

Pax Samson is not quite sure if he wants to be a superhero -- but after following him on his adventures, training, and quick cooking interludes, you'll be rooting for him to put ion that mask and join his family in their battle against bad guys trying to tear their town of magical beings/humans apart! Oni Press always produces the cutest, more enjoyable comics, and this is an exciting entry kids are going to love. The illustrations are bright and fun, and each character, from Grandma, who has power of the gods, to his time-traveling aunt, to his sometimes shirtless and boastful cousin, stands out with their own personality and superhero traits. I can't wait to share this with a few youth I know -- thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.