Quirk's Quest, 1: Quirk's Quest: Into the Outlands (Hardcover)

Product Description Setting out to explore the remote Outlands of Crutonia are the brave and multifarious crew of the H.M.S. Gwaniimander, under the command of Captain Quenterindy Quirk―a leader whose confidence exceeds his competence by several lengths of his own bushy tail. Quirk’s voyage of discovery is quickly plunged into disaster and mystery, as the expedition encounters carnivorous giants, an unstable sorceress, and a valley of indestructible creatures. With the crew decimated, the ship destroyed, and a malign force plotting worse fortune, can Quirk and his compatriots hold together their royal mission? Vividly illustrated and starring a cunningly designed cast of characters, Robert Christie and Deborah Lang's Into the Outlands is a tale of adventure in a fully-imagined fantasy world ripe for exploration. This first graphic novel of Quirk’s Quest includes an illustrated roster of the important characters, a guide to the intrepid Sxervian Frog Brigade, and mission map of the Outlands. From School Library Journal Gr 3–5—Captain Quenterindy Quirk's royal mission to explore the Outlands of Crutonia is quickly derailed by ravenous, four-eyed giants called Hooklm who look like the Odyssey's Cyclops. The surviving crew members find shelter with a hostile sorceress, then move on to the protection of the Yoons, cheerful, childlike creatures who are poisonous to the Hooklm and generally invincible. The story is full of action, humor, and twists and is illustrated in full color in a cartoon style on glossy pages. The protagonists are colorful and furry, bearing a cuddly resemblance to the Muppets. They also have distinct personalities. Captain Quirk is more talk than action; Smok, the humble cook's assistant, is a quiet hero; and Hukka, the sorceress, is an enigmatic, frightening villain. Even the numerous Sxervian frogs, the crew's protecting army, are named separately in a section at the end called "Characters of Note." VERDICT This intelligent epic adventure will appeal to fans of Jeff Smith's "Bone" and Kazu Kibuishi's "Amulet."—Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library Review "The pacing is snappy, engaging plot twists abound, and so do intriguing characters, like the cheerful little Yoons....Readers will hope for a sequel, and the cliffhanger ending promises one." ―Publisher's Weekly "Christie and Lang manage to strike a good balance between drama and comic relief, and the colorful art features detailed landscapes." ―Booklist "Illustrations and text effectively intersect... as the pictures highlight key moments and frequently offer clever clues about what might be coming next. Rich colors make this uncharted island appealing and inviting, even while stark dangers lurk everywhere." ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "The story is full of action, humor, and twists and is illustrated in full color in a cartoon style on glossy pages." ―School Library Journal About the Author Growing up on Long Island, Robert Christie spent most of his waking hours obsessively drawing anything and everything, except cars. While taking cover from a lunchroom food fight, he met Deborah Lang, and shortly thereafter they conspired to create Crutonia. Ever since, they have been writing stories set in their quirky, made-up world. After earning his BFA in St. Louis, he moved to Jersey City, where he makes his living as an illustrator, painter, and prop maker for major motion pictures, Broadway, and fashion photo shoots. He has been writing and further developing Crutonia with Deborah for more than three decades, and Into the Outlands is their first published graphic novel. Deborah Lang is a cartoonist, scientific illustrator, and molecular biologist. She was born in New York City but eventually moved to Long Island purely to meet up with Rob Christie to create Crutonia. Her earliest published drawings include advertisements in Pennysaver and monthly comic strips in her college newspaper. She has published illustrations and papers