Review by Booklist Review
Alex and Freddy are your average brothers. They pester their dad for double-fudge doughnuts, argue over video games, and rush to each other's side when there's trouble. They also happen to be the most sophisticated robots in a robot-happy futuristic London. While their parents strive to give them a normal, peaceful childhood, a sinister tuxedoed robot with connections to their mysterious past is gunning for the mega bros, and he's ready to smash through London to get them. Along with an expansive commitment to diversity, Cameron evinces a knack for programming unusually deep thoughts into the motherboard of his fast-paced family superhero adventure. Questions of origin, purpose, and existence itself are stealth-loaded between the bang-ups and laughs. Few and far between are comic books that feature one character asking if his robotic existence even counts as life, while another character punches the head off a mechanical gorilla. Yet, the brothers remain accessible through their relationship and insecurities, while the animated colors and lithe texture of the images imbue the lightness of an age-friendly cartoon.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When not fighting over comics, brothers Alex and Freddy attempt to have an ordinary childhood in a future London. But, because they are sentient robots, normality escapes them: whether they are visiting the museum or attending a royal birthday celebration, they inevitably end up fighting evil robots run amok. Their adoptive parents want to keep things quiet, but secrecy becomes increasingly impossible with each incident. Eventually, older brother Alex is drafted into RAID, a military robot team, in an attempt to capture Robot 23, who seems obsessed with the brothers. Cameron delivers an energized and goofy romp featuring siblings whose relationship is equal parts bickering, rivalry, and camaraderie-just like that of many human brothers. The action is balanced with a good dose of humor, as when Freddy rescues a trio of animal droids only to get stuck dealing with an ape that speaks French, a barking triceratops, and a penguin that only quotes Sartre. The vivid colors capture the optimistic and light mood of the SF adventure, which features a diverse cast and lots of quippy banter. Ages 8-12. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Robot brothers Alex and Freddy Sharma live in a futuristic London with their adoptive human parents. While the siblings are close, they often bicker and have a hard time staying out of trouble. They are superstrong and fast, but their parents, especially their scientist mother, insist on keeping their powers secret for as long as possible. An evil robot, built in the same mysterious facility as Alex and Freddy, starts wreaking havoc, and Alex, the oldest, is recruited by his mother's company to fight. Though goofy Freddy is less mature than his big brother, the two must work together to save the day. This tale immerses readers in a fascinating world filled with flying double decker buses, robotic dinosaurs and palace guards, a philosophical penguin, and a diverse human cast of characters. Yellow, purple, and blue background colors are striking. Alex and Freddy are distinguished by the coloring of their robotic heads and their facial expressions, as well as by their height and personality differences. The small font of the speech bubble text may take readers a few pages to get used to, but fun characters and a compelling story will keep them engaged. VERDICT A solid addition to middle grade graphic novel collections.-Marissa Lieberman, East Orange Public Library, NJ © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this wild graphic novel, two robot brothers wrangle problems small and large, ranging from sibling rivalry to saving the world.In a not-too-distant-future London, robot brothers Freddy and Alex live with their adoptive interracial parents, their black, stay-at-home dad and their Indian, scientist mother. Although they are machines, the boys are completely sentient and are not above a giggleworthy poop joke or overblown sibling squabble. However, when the less-sophisticated robots of London begin to go awry, the brothers must work together to take down a nefarious robot that claims to come from the same creator they do. Alex and Freddy are instantly lovable and believable, as they struggle with bullying because they are robots and to discern what being human truly means. Cameron's portrayal of London is wholly inclusive and authentic, capturing a recognizable societal snapshot evincing women in hijabs, men in turbans, and even an interracial royal family; as colored by Murphy, skin tones are realistically varied. Cameron's worldbuilding is masterful and immersive, brimming with flying trains, cinematic explosions, raging robot dinosaurs, and a penguin-droid that endlessly spews Sartre quotes. The first in a series, this should elicit vociferous demands for subsequent volumesbe sure to recommend this to fans of Judd Winick's Hilo series.An immensely smart, fun, and nuanced series opener. (Graphic science fiction. 6-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
