Graphic Novel Reviews: Becstar

Are you feeling lucky?

Grab your laser gun and brace yourself for an action-packed, galactic romp for Artifacts.

The main character, Becstar, is a thief with the power of luck on her side. Formerly a member of Ophiucus, a quartet of thieves, Becstar now roams the galaxy with new friends. Each former Ophiucus member scored an Artifact imbued with special powers. Becstar has the luck dagger, which she uses to get out of troublesome situations caused by her overconfidence. She believes the Artifacts should be destroyed. However, Lord Mordecai wishes to have all the Artifacts and to consume reality. Becstar has to keep her luck as she dodges bounty hunters, mysteries of the universe, impulse drinking, and failed relationships.

Becstar is a female-driven graphic novel where the fate of the universe rests in some unusual hands. The story weaves past and present time with the use of color as a cue to timeframe. The current events are colorful while the past is steeped in sepia. This galaxy is vibrant with color and action. The characters have a similarly angled drawing style as Boom!Studios’s Lumberjanes. The characters are diverse, and the LGBTQ+ themes are pivotal to the story.

Becstar is a self-contained story told in four chapters. The ending is satisfying and provides opportunity for a sequel. This graphic novel is for teens. There are some startling moments of violence, some blood, and lots of cursing. Becstar is a great match for fans of science fiction action stories like Magdalene Visaggio’s Vagrant Queen and quirky adventures such as Merwan’s Aster of Pan.

-Angela Dabrowski, Senior Library Assistant