Space Battle Lunchtime (2016), Volume 2

April 15, 2017
In this graphic-novel sequel, a human chef must battle her way out of a murderous intergalactic cooking show.Diving right in where predecessor Lights, Camera, Snacktion! (2016) left off, this sequel finds Peony, an aspiring white earthling chef, double-crossed and kidnapped from the cooking show Space Battle Lunchtime. She's dropped onto the set of their sinister competitor, Cannibal Coliseum, where the contestants could literally become lunch. On the set, Peony meets one of her challengers, the very pink, wide-eyed, manga-styled, and adorably vicious unicorn Ariella Magicorn. As Peony tries to stay alive in the cutthroat kitchen, her friends from Space Battle Lunchtime--including the quietly intense, blue-skinned Neptunia, whose affections for Peony have now blossomed into a relationship--must save her before it's too late. Riess' candy-hued charmer is like a recipe that incorporates myriad ingredients: there's sci-fi elements, comedic action, a tentative and sweet queer intergalactic romance, and, of course, the culinary aspect. In less deft hands, this seemingly arbitrary assemblage could fall as flat as a dropped souffle, but Riess' offbeat sensibility and inventiveness shine. Heavily awash in a spectrum of bubble-gum pinks, this is a fun, fierce, and inventive tale that will appeal to those seeking read-alikes for Noelle Stevenson's fan-favorites Nimona (2015) and Lumberjanes. A genre-buster, for sure, and a delightful mashup at that. (Graphic science fiction. 12-adult)

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June 1, 2017
Grades 6-9 After the cliff-hanger ending of Space Battle Lunchtime, v.1: Light, Camera, Snacktion! (2016), Peony, a human contestant on the titular intergalactic reality show, wakes to find herself on a competitor, Cannibal Coliseum, on which contestants literally serve each other. The pace moves just as rapidly as before as Peony and her friend, Neptunia, perform a daring, well-plotted escape before heading back to serve up justice against their enemies. Jokes and action sequences are plentiful and entertaining, but some readers may wish for more background on the characters and their crazy world. Fans of the first volume will be pleased to find the gentle crush between Peony and her female friend has grown into a full-fledged romantic relationship. Given that there's a relative dearth of LGBTQ characters in kids' comics, this is a welcome addition to a growing wave of better representation. Riess' illustrations are colorful and bubbly, with hints of manga influence that goes well with the lively space adventure. A quick, sweet entry in an appealing series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)