While I don't read the Kazu Jones series, I did pick up this second book in the series simply because the mystery centers around comic book stores (and I pretty much will pick up any book that features a story centered around comic books or comic book stores). I had never heard of this series, nor did I recognize the author, Shauna M. Holyoak, but that did not stop me from buying the book. The cover art is rather cute, with the main character and her four friends standing in front of a comic book store - I just wish there were internal illustrations (I mean, after all, this is about a comic book store, after all!); but, alas, I had to settle for a first-person mystery about a fifth-grade detective agency!
Kazu Jones and the Comic Book Criminal stars young Kazu Jones and her two friends March and CindeeRae, who have formed a sort-of detective agency to solve mysteries. Their classmate, Madeleine, apparently helped them in the first book and is anxious to be involved in this latest case. The mystery involves a vandal who is spray painting murals on the various comic stores throughout Denver, each mural sending a very pointed message about a character called Blood Eagle. March is especially upset about it, because his uncle Owen runs a struggling store, and March hopes to work in the store once he is old enough. Despite having faced serious consequences after solving the mystery in the previous book, the four fifth-graders decide to investigate, being very careful not to cross the line set for them by their parents and the police (i.e., not interfering in an ongoing police investigation!).
And speaking of fixing things - while all of this is going on, Kazu has a whole other mystery to solve at home. Her mother has been bedridden for several months, causing her grandmother to fly over from Japan to help run the household. No one will tell Kazu what is wrong with her mother, so she sets about trying to uncover the truth on her own. The clues are all there, and astute readers will easily discern what it is - but for Kazu, it takes a bit of research and hard questions before she finally learns the truth. Admittedly, this subplot seemed a bit out of place in the story - it has no bearing on the vandalism story, and it doesn't serve as much of a catalyst for any other element of the story. The only real connection I could see is that once Kazu learns the truth, it causes her to have some sympathy for the graphittist who is painting murals on all of the comic stores.
That issue aside, the underlying story about the "comic book criminal" is actually rather fun. It's clear the author has familiarity with the subject matter (and based on her "Author's Notes" at the end, that is DEFINITELY the case), as there are not only references to a number of comic book related characters, companies, and books, but the role-playing and deck-card gaming and comic-convention attending scenes are so spot-on, they brought a huge smile to my face. And Holyoak definitely captures the reality of what it's like to be a "geek" or "nerd" on pages 157-58, as Kazu finally realizes the importance of the comic book convention for her friend, March:
At school he was the lone nerd, the walking comic book know-it-all who was usually mocked whenever he talked about the things that excited him. Here, he was one among many, surrounded by warrior geeks who proudly paraded their unusual obsessions. I had understood why March was so upset by the idea of the Super Pickle closing, but for the first time I really felt how devastating it must be for him. ComiCanon was only once a year. But the Super Pickle was there whenever he needed it. There may not be crowds of cosplayers, but Owen and his customers liked what March liked and would never make fun of him for it.
EXACTLY! Holyoak hit the nail on the head with this paragraph, and even today when Marvel and DC movies and television shows have become so popular with non-comic book fans, there is still a stigma, to a certain extent, with those comic book "geeks" that leaves us feeling much more comfortable when we are in our own element, surrounded by others who share the enthusiasm and love for these characters and stories that will never exist outside of the comic stores and comic conventions. So, kudos to Holyoak for recognizing and acknowledging this truth!
The resolution of the mystery also fits in with the comic book theme of the book. [WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD - DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED!!!] A comic book creator whose creation is stolen and who gets no credit for the character, while the one who stole the idea is making tons of money from the success of the book and the upcoming film. An untimely death that leaves behind a child who is determined to find justice for their parent, who was wronged so horribly. It all comes straight out of a comic book story (and real life as well, similar to the Shuster & Siegel battle with DC over the rights to Superman). And, at least the criminal in this book does have to pay for their crime - they don't get a free pass simply because of the hardship they faced with their parents' dying.
Again, this being a comic book themed story, I would have loved to have seen some comic book pages within the story - perhaps each time the vandal struck, we could have had a page or two of comic book panels that shows the murals - it would have been a fun way to put the reader into the story and given them an opportunity to look for clues in the murals right along with Kazu and her gang! But, alas, that wasn't the case, so I think it was a missed opportunity on the part of the pubisher.
The story was a fun read, but I doubt I'll be running out to pick up any other books in this series - I collect so many series as it is that I can't keep up with, I certainly can't add another one to the stack.
RATING: 8 six-packs of grape soda out of 10 for giving readers a refreshingly new group of young detectives, as well as a fun comic book-related mystery!
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