Brik

For the most part, 12-year-old Drew enjoys life in the town of Yonkers, despite its decline and its bullies. He relishes the stories his grandfather tells, and then there’s Chase Hirsch, the crush Drew wants to impress. When the Russian mafia kills his grandfather, Drew calls on his Jewish heritage to create a golem to protect the neighborhood from a mysterious and deadly figure known as Little Stalin. Glass and Benson craft a compelling tale of vigilante justice whose many violent moments come alive in debut illustrator Singh’s shadowy artwork (when Drew first discovers that his golem, which he names Brik, is alive, the creature is busy mutilating small animals in the woods). Singh lacks some consistency in reproducing the characters, particularly Drew, yet these variations manage to capture an essential aspect of Drew’s life, caught between being the child he was and the man he’s to become. With steady pacing and a story arc that both resembles and deviates from traditional superhero norms, the creators have delivered a strong graphic novel. Ages 13–up. (July)