Daily Graphic Novel Recommendation 228

Mouse Guard

by David Petersen
Genre notes: zoomorphic people, adventure, drama, beautiful art
7+ vols
ISBN: 0345496868 (Amazon)

David Petersen’s Mouseguard is a wonderful series that pits medieval mice against both their common predators (snakes, owls, weasels, etc.) and their own kind. I've heard some compare it to Redwall, but I've not read the series. I also can't imagine Redwall being as lush a reading experience as Mouse Guard.

The Mouse Guard is a collection of mice who have sworn to keep the other mice safe in the lands surrounding the mouse settlement of Lockhaven in the years after the Dark Heather War (in which the mice fought hard against the weasels of Dark Heather). Each town in the circuit is noted for its particular craft or focus (in Lockhaven, that craft is politics and military pursuits). The dangers are great and the enemies many and varied - so there are plenty of stories to tell and Petersen is a worthy storyteller.

If these aren't enough to whet your appetite, check out this Free Comic Book Day offering from 2013. Mouse Guard is almost the only reason to pay attention to FCBD if you're already a reader: http://imgur.com/a/IJoPH

Because the series unfolds over a variety of volumes (and the trade dress is not particularly helpful), here is the order in which you may wish to pursue the books:

• Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 - The series intro.
Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 - A couple months later, where the story really picks up.
Mouse Guard: The Black Axe - Flashes back a decade or so to the origin of the axe from Winter 1152
Mouse Guard: Baldwin The Brave & Other Tales - collects 5 of Petersen's lovely Free Comic Book Day comics
Mouse Guard: Legends Of The Guard, vol 1, 2, and 3 - An anthology of short stories set in the world done by a host of creators, each vol bookended by a framing device written and drawn by Petersen.

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