School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up-Adrian Velba is a gladiator-in-training. He lives in a medieval magical land that values tradition, and the annual gladiatorial Games are what he (and everyone else) looks forward to all year. When the Games finally do roll around, his partner gets sick and it seems like all hope is lost. Adrian wants to win the games to help out his mother, but he can't enter without a teammate. Out of nowhere, the rough and tumble fighter Richard Aldana appears, and Adrian is in the right place at the right time because the older man needs a partner, too. The unconventional duo proves successful, mainly because of Aldana's rough fighting style that completely eschews magic. This first installment in the graphic novel series, created by an all-star French trio, does a superb job of setting the stage for the epic battles to come. Adrian is a lovable protagonist, and Aldana is a mysterious fighter who will be a great mentor figure for the fatherless Adrian. Teens will be left on the edge of their seats rooting for the pair. The black-and-white illustrations are well done, engaging, and easy to follow. And while a few different story lines are introduced, they are not confusing. The fantasy world where Adrian, his mom, and Aldana live is well developed, but there are definitely some more questions that beg to be answered in the following installments. VERDICT Recommend to graphic novel fans looking for something new-they will not be disappointed.-Morgan Brickey, Marion County Public Library System, FL © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
A budding spellcaster hooks up with an out-of-town pugilist in hopes of winning an annual fighting tournament in this swift and addictive opening installment of the French comic Last Man. At age 12, Adrian Velba is finally old enough to enter his town's annual Games, but he lacks a requisite partner until Richard Aldana, a muscly vagabond, suggests they join forces to compete and subsequently causes a stir with his gruff hand-to-hand combat and shirking of local tradition. Fight scenes are buoyed by the use of minimal contours, with Balak, Vivès, and Sanlaville drawing on their respective experiences as animator, cartoonist, and video-game designer to give the action a visceral flow. As Richard mows down the competition (and takes a shine to Adrian's mother), Adrian finds himself in serious contention, up against a medley of colorful and formidable opponents. They could even go all the way, unless some mishap or backdoor scheming derails their ambitions. Readers eager to find out won't have to wait long-the next two books in the series are due later this year. Ages 14-up. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
A French import animated by a manga spirit, The Stranger is the first of the ongoing Last Man series, and it's sure to deliver a spin kick of joy to tweens. Adrian Velba, the smallest and possibly least talented fighter in the local martial-arts school, is stuck without a partner for the annual games. Enter the rough-and-tumble Richard Aldana, also hard up for a partner. Aldana's gruff manner and practical fighting technique, which eschews traditional spiritual styles, offends the town but charms his new partner as they fight all the way to the quarterfinals. Aldana's attitude toward rules and regulations will have great appeal for teens, and his relationship with both Adrian and Adrian's mother develops in interesting ways. The art is particularly striking, with loose, flowing lines and spare details that make the fight scenes truly sing, while in close-up range, the characters' features tighten into focus, creating uniquely lovely portraiture. Fans of martial-arts movies and Paul Pope's blockbuster, Battling Boy (2014), will jump right in.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2015 Booklist