Title- Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars Vol. 1
Author- Frank Beddor
ISBN - 97809818737
Publication Information- Automatic Pictures Publishing, 2008
Plot Summary- This is a graphic novel story that is peripheral to The Looking Glass Wars novel by the same author. In that text Alyss, the daughter of the Queen of Hearts escapes being assassinated by her Aunt Redd by fleeing into 1850s London. There she is taken in by a family and tells her story to Lewis Carroll, who gets it all wrong. All the while her guardian, Hatter Madigan is searching for her. In this graphic novel, the focus is entirely on Hatter's search for her throughout the streets of London. Hatter has a unique hat that, in the right hands, transforms into a series of blades that can attack or defend as necessary. He is relentless in his search for Alyss because it was the Queens final request that he protect her. In the opening volume, the readers are introduced to the characters, the back story (in case you have not read the novel) and his first adventure to find her. He follows the faint trace of imagination, the critical component of Wonderland, which the princess will exude. He follows the trace of a young girl who has been kidnapped.
Critical Evaluation- Graphic novels are interesting reads. This novel is a spin-off of another series that is, of course, a spin-off of the Alice in Wonderland stories. However, Beddor makes the story much darker in the graphic novels. Reading the source novels would be very helpful although the flashbacks in the text make it not completely necessary. Hatter is a fascinating character that is very different from his Alice in Wonderland counterpart. Alyss, however, is similar to her opposite. Readers should be aware that this story is very violent and the artwork can be disturbing in places. The Looking Glass Wars is listed for pre-teens, but this is graphic enough to make it a better choice for older students. The art, by Ben Templesmith is excellent though if the violence is not an issue for you. Fans of the novel will not find any new material here, but it is a nice addition.
Reader's Annotation- What if Lewis Carroll was wrong? What if Alice came OUT of Wonderland instead of going in?
Author Information- Frank Beddor is a truly interesting man. He has produces films including There's Something About Mary and Wicked and is the CEO of his own film production company, which is the same group that published the graphic novel. He has created a full line of merchandise to go with the original novel series, including the graphic novel, a card game, and a role-playing game.
Curricular Ties- English
Genre- Graphic Novel
Book talking ideas- Is Hatter a good guy or a bad guy? How does the graphic novel compare to the novel? To Alice in Wonderland?
Challenge issues- Violent content, including a torture scene of sorts, fantasy content.
- Re-read the text to familiarize myself with the story
- Ask parents for their specific objections (they are required to file that with our school district)
- Review approved books list from California Department of Education for similar materials
- Review approaches from ALA
Interest Age- 12-17
Why I selected this piece- The story was recommended to me by one of my sophomores after the class talked about Alice in Wonderland.
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