Our award-winning graphic novels are on sale now, published by Candlewick Press!
Book One: Trial by Fire—available in hardcover and paperback!
Buy it here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indie Bound
Powell’s
Like many 10-year-old boys, Andrew Ryan is short, lacking in athletic and social skills, and daydreams about being a superhero. Unlike other boys, however, Andrew’s dream actually comes true when he gains super powers and becomes the costumed crimefighter known as Smash!
He’s about to discover how difficult it really is to finish your homework, keep your room clean, and sneak out after curfew while fighting crime. Co-created by Chris A. Bolton (writer) and Kyle Bolton (artist), Smash is an all-ages comic that aims to put the fun back in superheroes!
Junior Library Guild selection
2014 Children’s Choices Book Award winner
2013 Oregon Spirit Book Award winner
2014 Black-Eyed Susan Award nominee
2014 YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens nominee
"An action-packed crowd-pleaser...Smash pays homage to the genre while adding tweaks that make it all feel fresh. This is sure to be a draw for superhero fans and reluctant readers alike." —School Library Journal
"Mixing humor with action makes for a winning combination; a vivid palette and classic comic book-style greatly enhance the graphic novel package." —The Horn Book
"Kids and adults can enjoy this superhero title that’s filled with humor, action, and art that makes it a fun ride for everyone." —Good Comics for Kids
"[F]ull of drama, humor, and seriously thrilling action sequences. To summarize: kids are going to love it." —100 Scope Notes blog
Book Two: Fearless—available in hardcover and paperback!
Preorder your copy here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indie Bound
Powells.com
Superhero. Super young. Super freaked out! In his second adventure, Smash has his hands full with old enemies and a few new ones — not to mention homework.
Thanks to a strange twist of fate — and a massive explosion — Andrew’s dream of having the strength and abilities of his superhero idol came true, and Smash was born. Great, right? Wrong! As superhero Smash, Andrew finds himself in a losing battle with the one emotion no hero should ever feel: fear. And he definitely didn’t count on becoming the prime target of Magus, the vilest supervillain of all time, who will stop at nothing to steal Smash’s powers. It’s going to take Andrew everything he’s got to conquer his fears, safeguard the city, keep his identity a secret . . . and pass the fifth grade.
"The ensuing action is fast, furious, and interrupted only occasionally by scenes at home and the introduction of Jae Kim, a smart and lively new Korean-American classmate....[Smash] continues to lead a diverse and expressively drawn cast. Brisk, nonstop, chock-full of awesome exploits." —Kirkus Reviews
"[W]onderfully funny and action-packed....Kyle’s artwork...combines the goofiness of cult classics like the Tick with the youthful vigor of Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes. Every panel is filled with the energy of a 10-year-old boy, with characters ready to bounce right off the page....And the warmth of the story, with its focus on familial relationships and the struggles that all kids face, gives it a universal appeal....The 'Smash' series is an exciting, compelling addition to the once-overlooked field of comics for kids, sure to appeal to everyone from fans of Iron Man to Wimpy Kid devotees." —Yakima (WA.) Herald