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Calamity Jack (Rapunzel's Revenge #2)

by Shannon Hale (Goodreads Author), Dean Hale, Nathan Hale (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 2,072 ratings · 373 reviews

Jack likes to think of himself as a criminal mastermind…with an unfortunate amount of bad luck. A schemer, plotter, planner, trickster, swindler...maybe even thief? One fine day Jack picks a target a little more giant than the usual, and one little bean turns into a great big building-destroying beanstalk.

With help from Rapunzel (and her trusty braids), a pixie from Jack’s...more

Hardcover, 144 pages

Published January 5th 2010 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens (first published January 4th 2010)

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May 29, 2010 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Valerie by: Ginny

Shelves: male-protagonist, retellings, fantasy

I usually don't like to use the word delightful because it reminds me of delicious so than I think of food and graphic novels are not food. But somehow I just think this is delightful.

As a sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge it’s pretty darn good. Now we get the point of view of Jack -obviously- and he is a funny character. It starts off pretty much right were Rapuzel's story leaves off. It gives a quick background at what Jack was up to even before he met Rapuzel. You know where he gets the magic bea...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com

Jack has long been a trickster - he's just not had the best of luck. When a heist involving magic beans, a beanstalk, and giants goes wrong, Jack leaves town. After his adventures with Rapunzel (in RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE), Jack returns home to Shyport only to discover that the giant, Blunderboar, is in charge, the city is in ruins thanks to an infestation of ant people, and his mother is being held captive and is in charge of bakin...more Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com

Jack has long been a trickster - he's just not had the best of luck. When a heist involving magic beans, a beanstalk, and giants goes wrong, Jack leaves town. After his adventures with Rapunzel (in RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE), Jack returns home to Shyport only to discover that the giant, Blunderboar, is in charge, the city is in ruins thanks to an infestation of ant people, and his mother is being held captive and is in charge of baking bones into bread. It's up to Jack and Rapunzel to save the day!

I'm often asked to give booktalks on great books for tweens and I always inlcude the Hale's first graphic novel outing, RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE (and now CALAMITY JACK!). These two books are a librarian's dream come true! The Hales combine witty dialogue, action and adventure, beautifully detailed artwork, and lots of humor to create the perfect graphic novel. I would give this one to anyone who is not convinced in the value of graphic novels or anyone who's a newbie to the style. (And of course old fans, too!)

The fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk is given the steampunk treatment in CALAMITY JACK, and those looking for a great adventure read will devour this one. There's even a cute bit of romance thrown in, so I think this book will have wide appeal. It is a sequel to RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE, but readers don't necessarily have to read the first one to pick this one up. The book starts with Jack's past and gives us a little information on how Jack and Rapunzel met, so I doubt readers will feel lost.

As I mentioned, the dialogue is very witty - there were a few lines I just had to read aloud to my husband because they were too great to keep to myself. The artwork is very detailed - young Jack is pictured with his tongue out while thinking and we get a glimpse that he hasn't lost this habit as an adult. It's this attention to detail that make the art stand out. The text and illustrations pair perfectly and work together, which makes this an excellent example of a graphic novel. (And be sure to check out the inside cover page for a peek at our authors and illustrator snuck into the artwork.)

This is a book to share, to pass around to friends, and re-read, because each time you'll see something new. I'm hoping we can look forward to more graphic novels from this creative team - I'd love to see their take on other fairy tales.(less)

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Jun 11, 2010 Cara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cara by: Ginny

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, male-protagonist, fairy-tales, recommended-to-me

I was looking forward to read the sequel of Rapunzel's Revenge, and it was fun to read but not necessarily as cool as the first.

The story has switched gears and our main character is Jack and as the reader we get to see what his past is all about and how did he ever get that goose? Well we get find out here, and see Jack back in his hometurf.

It was funny and the illustrations and the placements are really just great and I could only imagine how much work is put into them. I missed that Rapunzel...more

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Apr 03, 2010 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales, want-to-own, atypical, blog

Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

Calamity Jack by Shannon and Deal Hale is the sequel to their first graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge. I picked up Rapunzel's Revenge a while ago, because I had just finished reading some of Shannon's other books, and I loved them. When I went to the library to grab the copy on reserve, I was shocked to see that it was a graphic novel. I hadn't read any previously and wasn't interested in starting. But, I was in a hurry and m...more Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

Calamity Jack by Shannon and Deal Hale is the sequel to their first graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge. I picked up Rapunzel's Revenge a while ago, because I had just finished reading some of Shannon's other books, and I loved them. When I went to the library to grab the copy on reserve, I was shocked to see that it was a graphic novel. I hadn't read any previously and wasn't interested in starting. But, I was in a hurry and my indecisiveness made me hesitate long enough that I decided I would just take the copy for now, and bring it back later. But, I was bored, still had the book and started to read it. And, I read it in one sitting because I found it to be positively delightful.

So, when I heard that they were writing a sequel told from Jack's perspective, I knew I had to read it. And it was just as delightfully fun as the first novel! Jack and Rapunzel have a great relationship. Their banter and the way they play off of each other never fails to make me laugh. This is Jack's story of climbing up the beanstalk and taking on the giants. Where Rapunzel's story was mostly in the wild's of the west, Jack's story puts us right in the middle of the industrial city.

Jack is a crazy character. He's mischievous, tricksy, and a lot less devious than he thinks he is. He fancies himself a bit of a criminal genius, but he's rather a bit more of a bumbler, who sometimes gets lucky. But, when Rapunzel is with him, with her crazy awesome hair and hard-core butt kicking abilities, things usually go much smoother.

I will admit that I didn't like this book as much as I liked Rapunzel's Revenge. I truly enjoyed it, I laughed just as much as before, but there was just a little something missing for me. It just wan't quite... there, the way that Rapunzel's story was for me. But it's definitely worth the read, especially if you read and enjoyed Rapunzel's story.

I will say that both of these books are awesome for reluctant readers. They are both fast paced, the dialogue is perfect and the drawings are fabulous. I am much more open to reading graphic novels after reading these books because when done right, the pictures add a whole new layer of depth and you catch nuances that weren't there before.(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 S.N.Arly Arly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, graphic-novel, subversive-princesses, fairy-and-folktales, strong-girls, middle-grade

While I enjoyed this, it wasn't quite as good as Rapunzel's revenge. I'd read a third in the series if the Hales x 3 decide on another, and I will be reading this to the kiddos (they are very excited).

The good:
It was interesting to get Jack's back story. The comparison of the wild west to the big city (complete with pixies and giants) was fun. The steampunk additions brought by Freddy are both hilarious and useful. The inclusion of various fairy tale elements was nicely handled (yay for Mr. Jabb...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Wonbo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Calamity Jack: by Shannon & Dean Hale, Illustrated by Nathan Hale. Genre: Fiction, Romance, Action. 144 pages

For people who haven't read the book, This Review contains spoilers!

This book is a sequel to the book Rapunzel's Revenge. This book talks about the story of Jack -the one from Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack, in the story is accused a murderer because he had cut down the beanstalk and made a giant fall and die. The leader of the giants, Blunderboar, who would eat bread made from ground...more Calamity Jack: by Shannon & Dean Hale, Illustrated by Nathan Hale. Genre: Fiction, Romance, Action. 144 pages

For people who haven't read the book, This Review contains spoilers!

This book is a sequel to the book Rapunzel's Revenge. This book talks about the story of Jack -the one from Jack and the Beanstalk. Jack, in the story is accused a murderer because he had cut down the beanstalk and made a giant fall and die. The leader of the giants, Blunderboar, who would eat bread made from ground human-bones and the richest person in Jack's hometown "Clan Park", had executed an demonic plan to secretly kidnap humans, while being a hero who protects them. He put other giants in ant-human disguises and sent them out on raids to the town. Soon after, the people who couldn't take on the force of the giants, were taken away (known to people as, eaten by the "giant-ant-huamns") and were hopelessly running away. Blunderboar, then took place and used some more giants as guards and polices to take care of the ant-humans, and officially took over the security of the town from the mayor. This plan; however, was discovered by Jack and his gang (Rapunzel, "Pru" the pixie, and "Freddie" the mechanic and Journalist) during their search & rescue of Jack's mother, who was the baker of the town, taken away and lock up to back human-bone-bread for Blunderboar. At the end, Rapunzel and Jack takes down Blunderboar, who was on his run. into the sea and once again, become heroes.

My favorite part of this book was the action part, when Jack and the gang sneaked in to Blunderboar's lair -largest tower in the center of the city with various, numerous guards. The amount of action and gag was major and gave me a great time while I read this section. Not to mention the part where Pur became mad at Jack because of his last attempt to sneak in to Blunderboar's lair, he left out Pur and went on his own, and betrayed the gang and told Blunderboar about the plan to intrude; thus, putting the whole group in great danger. (less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Lori Redman rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, elementary, graphic-novel, sci-fi, series

Calamity Jack tells the story of Jack and the Beanstalk in the most convoluted way. Here, we have some sort of Native American teenager named Jack who is a troublemaker who travels a beanstalk to get a gold egg-laying goose from a greedy businessman giant, and then all heck breaks loose.

What? If it sounds simple, I'm sorry. In reality, it's not. This is the most convoluted, confusing graphic novel I've read. It wraps up nicely, it sure does, with a kiss and a sunset and everything. But that does...more Calamity Jack tells the story of Jack and the Beanstalk in the most convoluted way. Here, we have some sort of Native American teenager named Jack who is a troublemaker who travels a beanstalk to get a gold egg-laying goose from a greedy businessman giant, and then all heck breaks loose.

What? If it sounds simple, I'm sorry. In reality, it's not. This is the most convoluted, confusing graphic novel I've read. It wraps up nicely, it sure does, with a kiss and a sunset and everything. But that doesn't make the process any better!

The graphic novel starts off poorly, with some odd flashbacks told in one or two panels and are supposed to be witty, or clever, but fall flat. The story continues with an unlikable main character- a mischievous boy with no real likable feature except that he loves his mother and seems to retroactively regret his bad actions. At some point I realized that this was a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and was completely flabbergasted. This isn't a terribly faithful or interesting retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk- like I said, it adds in SO MANY quirks and characters and oddities that it becomes a hodge-podge of nothing very special at all.

I didn't know this was a sequel until I checked goodreads, but now I remember seeing "Rapunzel's Revenge" in the library as well. I'm suddenly a little nervous that I'll get stuck reading that (the first in the series) and frankly, I just don't want to. This book was enough to turn me off completely to these authors and artists, who all seem to be related (Hale, Hale, and Hale).

Aside from an unlikable, completely idiotic main character (who always seems to come up with a plan- how convenient and unlikely), there is a sidekick whose name I can't even remember- Springsworth? Some gadget-making newspaper man? Seemed like a steampunk shout-out that went horribly wrong. The character was completely undeveloped, unbelievable, and not at all likable. Rapunzel was the only character who was likable, and that's only because she was smart AND strong. Jack was just lucky- and it was boring.

I won't deny that this story wraps up neatly at the end.... but it does not justify the boring process I had in reading it. Is this appropriate for high school students? Maybe, if they're bored. But elementary students? No. It's too tedious, too plainly written and illustrated, and too choppily done to hold the attention of elementary students. It certainly couldn't hold my attention, and I am reading graphic novels as a job right now. I'm sorry to say that I won't recommend this story to anyone- unless they are looking for an odd retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and are prepared to be confused.(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-fiction, fantasy, magic, graphic-novel, website, fairy-tales-fractured-fair-tales

Calamity Jack is the follow-up to Rapunzel's Revenge and it is worth the read. Jack was just Punzie's sidekick in the first book, but now he takes center stage. Jack's story starts with the beanstalk of course. We learned that as a young lad he got into some trouble with giants. So he stole the golden goose and ran. Then he met Rapunzel and wanted to make things right for his mom. Unfortunately, nothing is right in Shyport. Blunderbore, the giant, has taken over and the town is being attacked by...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Sara Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even though this book is the sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, it holds up on it's own. There are a lot of reasons why I like these books. The fairy tales are retold in the Old West giving it a completely new lease but more importantly they are full of the action we expect from Westerns.
Calamity Jack begins shortly where Rapunzel's Revenge ends. Jack and Rapunzel are travelling to the city where Jack lived. His golden goose has now laid eggs and he has enough money to repair the damage done to his f...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, tween, young-adult-fiction, fairytale, adventure, giants, rapunzel, jack-and-the-beanstalk, folk-fairy-tale-retelling, gutsy-girls, juvenile-fiction, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After Rapunzel cleans up her former home, she accompanies Jack back to Shyport (from whence he hails). Jack is eager to show Rapunzel around and introduce her to city life – not to mention he intends to make things right with his mother (they parted on bad terms). Jack used to be quite the rapscallion – always scheming and trying to make an easy profit at the expense of others. As he grew older, he refined his methods and took more of an interest in targeting those he thought deserved a little j...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved the first book using these characters, Rapunzel's Revenge, so I was really excited when I heard there was going to be a sequel to that graphic novel. This book focuses on Jack, Rapunzel's sidekick. It was a fun read but not as good as the first one.

In this book we get some of Jack's history and some background on why he was on the run with a goose in Rapunzel's Revenge. Then Jack and Rapunzel return to Jack's hometown to faceoff with the giants.

I didn't like Jack as much as a...more

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Aug 14, 2010 Caroline rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, steampunk, read-in-2010, childrens

A sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, but from the perspective of her partner, Jack. This gives some backstory on him (obviously mirroring Jack and the Beanstalk), and the two of them travel to the city where he grew up to find it in ruins and under attack by ant people.

This wasn't quite as good as Rapunzel's Revenge, and I think some of that was Jack just wasn't as appealing a narrator as Rapunzel was. He spent most of his past being a liar and a thief, pulling "tricks" on honest people in order to s...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Ronyell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, drama, fairy-tales-folktales, fantasy, graphic-novels-comics, mystery, remake, reviewed-books, ronyell-s-epinions-reviews, sequel, shannon-hale, summer-100-book-challenge-2010, books-i-want-to-own, read-in-2010, strong-heroine, strong-hero, young-adult-teen-books

“Calamity Jack” is a brilliant sequel to Shannon and Dean Hale’s ever popular classic “Rapunzel’s Revenge” and this graphic novel is a great retelling of the classic fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk.” “Calamity Jack” is one of the most brilliant sequels that both adults and children will love for ages.

Shannon and Dean Hale have done it again in this classic retelling of a popular tale “Jack and the Beanstalk” and they made Jack in this tale just as shrewd and cunning as his original version an...more

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Feb 08, 2010 Book Calendar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

Calamity Jack By Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathaniel Hale.

Calamity Jack is a sequel to the graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge. In this story, Rapunzel returns to Jack's hometown from out west. Jack is a fairtyale trickster character, a combination of Jack from Jack in the Beanstalk and the classic western tall tale character, Calamity Jane.

The story is full of constant action. There is lots of fighting, trickery, and sneakiness in this story. There are giant ants, giants, giant pigeon...more

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Feb 01, 2010 Nicola rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own

Reason for Reading: Sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge.

Summary: This is very much Jack's story. Jack tells us of his childhood and his schemes as he grew up, later with his pixie cohort Prudence. Then comes the fateful day that he grows the beanstalk, steals a giant's magic goose and as he chops the beanstalk down he kills one of the giants, plus the building his mother lived in and ran her bakery from. Now the giants are after him and he leaves town. In one frame we're shown that this where the event...more Reason for Reading: Sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge.

Summary: This is very much Jack's story. Jack tells us of his childhood and his schemes as he grew up, later with his pixie cohort Prudence. Then comes the fateful day that he grows the beanstalk, steals a giant's magic goose and as he chops the beanstalk down he kills one of the giants, plus the building his mother lived in and ran her bakery from. Now the giants are after him and he leaves town. In one frame we're shown that this where the events of Rapunzel's Revenge fit in Jack's own timeline. Now that the time is right Jack returns to the city with Rapunzel where they meet up with Prudence and a strange young man with many gadgets and the foursome must save Jack's mother who has been captured by the giants and enslaved as their cook, but they must also end the oppressive giant rule and the current war with the ant people.

Comments: An adventure filled plot from start to finish that doesn't let go. As well as all the action we have a bit of a romance going on as well as the new guy likes Rapunzel and charms her with his smooth talking. Jack realizes he doesn't like this and a little love triangle is at work with some humorous moments involved. Rapunzel, again, is ever the hero. In fact, it is assumed that she is the fighter of the team and she takes that roll with grace and authority. Her part in the story is relegated to a secondary character though with Jack and Prudence being the main central characters. Quite an intricate plot that includes a couple of shocking twists, this is sure to please the intended audience and fans of the first book. However, this book stands alone very well and I'd say it is not necessary to have read Rapunzel's Revenge first to understand this book. Though I always do like to recommend reading books in order, if possible. The illustrations are just as gorgeous as one would expect them to be from Nathan Hale. A riproaring adventure with steampunk elements that will have readers begging for more from this trio. (less)

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Jan 12, 2010 Sarah BT rated it 5 of 5 stars

About the Book: Jack has long been a trickster-he's just not had the best of luck. When a heist involving magic beans, a beanstalk, and giants goes wrong, Jack leaves town. After his adventures with Rapunzel (in Rapunzel's Revenge) Jack returns home to Shyport only to discover that the giant Blunderboar is in charge, the city is in ruins thanks to a infestation of ant people, and his mother is being held captive by Blunderboar and in charge of baking bones into bread. It's up to Jack and Rapunze...more About the Book: Jack has long been a trickster-he's just not had the best of luck. When a heist involving magic beans, a beanstalk, and giants goes wrong, Jack leaves town. After his adventures with Rapunzel (in Rapunzel's Revenge) Jack returns home to Shyport only to discover that the giant Blunderboar is in charge, the city is in ruins thanks to a infestation of ant people, and his mother is being held captive by Blunderboar and in charge of baking bones into bread. It's up to Jack and Rapunzel to save the day!

GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I'm often asked to give booktalks on great books for tweens and I always inlcude the Hale's first graphic novel outing, Rapunzel's Revenge. (and now Calamity Jack!) Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack are a librarian's dream come true! The Hale's combine witty dialogue, action and adventure, beautiful detailed artwork and lots of humor to create the perfect graphic novel. I would give this one to anyone who is not convinced in the value of graphic novels or anyone who's a newbie to graphic novels. (And of course old fans too!)

The fairy tale of Jack and Beanstalk is given the steampunk treatment in Calamity Jack and readers looking for a great adventure read will devour this one. There's even a cute bit of romance thrown in, so I think this one will have wide appeal. It is a sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, but readers don't necessarily have to read the first one to pick this one up. The book starts with Jack's past and gives us a little information on Jack and Rapunzel met, so I doubt readers will feel lost.

As I mentioned, the dialouge is very witty-there were a few lines I just had to read aloud to my husband because they were too great to keep to myself. The artwork is very detailed-young Jack is pictured with his tounge out while thinking and we get a glimpse that Jack hasn't lost this habit as an adult. It's this attention to detail that make the art stand out. The text and illustrations pair perfectly and work together, which makes this an excellent example of a graphic novel. I can't wait to see the final full color, since the ARC came in black and white. (And be sure to check out the inside cover page for a peek at our author's and illustrator snuck into the artwork.)

This a book to share, to pass around to friends, and re-read because each time you'll see something new. I'm hoping we can look forward to more graphic novel's from this creative team-I'd love to see their take on other fairy tales.

(less)

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Jan 06, 2010 Theo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: shannon-hale-books

I’m so sorry. I was looking forward to reading this book after reading “Rapunzel's Revenge”. I had told everyone how great Shannon Hale’s book was and how I was looking forward to the second book. “Rapunzel's Revenge” was about a girl over coming bad. This book is about someone that is bad and we are supposed to like him. It didn’t work for me. No matter how you color coat it Jack is a two-bit thief and a liar that never realized he was wrong and never changed. I wouldn’t want to be Rapunzel in...more

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Dec 20, 2009 Corinne rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Calamity Jack arrived at my house, I had to break up a fight between my two older children and put a timer on to keep the peace - everyone wanted a turn to look at it/read it. If you haven't already read Rapunzel's Revenge, you should just on principle. It's a fun read and you'll have more appreciation for the characters in this book if you do. That being said, though, it's great as a stand alone.

Jack's a sympathetic character - always the schemer, always messing up in one way or another. I...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Emilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: retelling, graphic-novel, adventure, children-s, steampunk, tween, young-adult

I love a good myth/fairytale retelling. I am also on a bit of a steampunk kick right now, so picking up Calamity Jack was a bit of a no-brainer. I haven't read Rapunzel's Revenge yet, but this worked well as a stand-alone and filled in all the necessary info from the previous volume.

Jack is a schemer. His biggest and most intricate scheme to date was supposed to be robbing the giant Blunderboar. Things went a bit awry, though, when Jack had to chop down the beanstock he used to get to the giant'...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Cascata Nerina rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: See my review

Shelves: comedy, fairytales, male-protagonist, steampunk, urban-fantasy, graphic-novels

Calamity Jack written by Shannon and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale. It's my first new Graphic Novel for the year. It is the sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, but it isn't necessary to read that one to understand this one.

From the title it sounds like it should be based on "Calamity Jane," but it's really related to "Jack and the Beanstalk." There are a lot of steam punk slants - one of the major locations in the story is an airship on top of the high rise building. Another is the third main...more Calamity Jack written by Shannon and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale. It's my first new Graphic Novel for the year. It is the sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, but it isn't necessary to read that one to understand this one.

From the title it sounds like it should be based on "Calamity Jane," but it's really related to "Jack and the Beanstalk." There are a lot of steam punk slants - one of the major locations in the story is an airship on top of the high rise building. Another is the third main character who constantly has weird gadgets. The other major influence, though it is mostly in back story, is Native American and Old West Cowboys. The main character (Jack) is, and it's reflected in his clothing. However, this aspect is quite cliche. Rapunzel provides the Old West feel. The only thing that the Cowboys and Indians really do is cement the feeling of Steam punk era shenanigans. As icing on the cake another supporting character is a pixie showgirl.

The story is fairly straight forward, and all the clues are given to solve the mystery of the book. However, it is not presented as a mystery and I must admit that I was thinking something entirely different, even though it did relate back to the given clue. It is an adventure, and for me it was a fairly easy read with a second perusal to slow down and look again at the pictures.

I'm no one to speak about the art, I don't read enough comic books to speak on it authoritatively. However, I do know that I liked this style of drawing and the characters were very expressive.

It's a great read for anyone who likes fairytales or steampunk, and especially for people that like both.

If you like X try Y:

The most immediate thing that jumps to my mind is Full Metal Alchemist. A Japanese Manga which has been translated into English. That is mostly because it is also designed to be read by Young Adults, and has a lot of steampunk magic in it.

However, if it's the fairytales you want to read about try Fables. It's a little darker than Calamity Jack, but it's off shoot, Jack of Fables, is a little more light-hearted and about the same Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk). It's also a series of graphic novels (or you can read it as individual comics if you want to hunt them all down).

It had the same feel as Leviathan and Airborn, so if you liked either of those or this then you should read the other two.(less)

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Feb 16, 2011 sarah gilbert rated it 3 of 5 stars

For a graphic novel, this is great; cute characters, inventive storyline, detailed and lifelike illustrations. The cast of characters was suitable for a Broadway musical, and I almost expected them to burst into song. There were an awful lot of bits where, for several frames, all that was "heard" in dialogue was "eeeeEEEEeeeeEEEeeeee..." and "awwww!" and such. This is a steampunk comic book, and a pretty good one, but one had to have read the first book (though there was of course a terrifically...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Kendra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: school-read

A sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge, Calamity Jack has Jack returning to his home time with Rapunzel by his side. Arriving in Shyport, Jack is dismayed to learn that the giant has broadened his control over the town and taken Jack's mother captive. Jack and Punzie, with the help of some new and old friends, determine to free the town, especially Jack's mother.

I loved this graphic novel almost as much as the first one. The lively, fun illustrations match an equally lively, fun story. To have Rapunzel...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Nancy O'Toole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, graphic-novels, fantasy, middle-grade

“I like to think of myself as a criminal mastermind... with an unfortunate amount of bad luck.” Thus begins Calamity Jack, the sequel toRapunzel's Revenge. Jack isn't exactly a bad guy, but he has always loved to craft schemes, leading him to spending his childhood as a petty thief. When Jack's mother falls into hard times, Jack knows that he needs to pull off the biggest scheme of his life. But when things go terribly wrong, he's forced to flee. Years later, he returns with intentions of redeem...more “I like to think of myself as a criminal mastermind... with an unfortunate amount of bad luck.” Thus begins Calamity Jack, the sequel toRapunzel's Revenge. Jack isn't exactly a bad guy, but he has always loved to craft schemes, leading him to spending his childhood as a petty thief. When Jack's mother falls into hard times, Jack knows that he needs to pull off the biggest scheme of his life. But when things go terribly wrong, he's forced to flee. Years later, he returns with intentions of redeeming himself, but his home city of Shyport has changed for the worst. With the help of Rapunzel, Jack knows that he needs to cook up more more scheme, and this time he cannot afford to fail.

In Rapunzel's Revenge, Jack was Rapunzel's romantic interest, and sidekick along with providing much of the comic relief. In Calamity Jack, he takes on the role of leading man very well. Perhaps what I like the most about Jack is the fact that he feels very true to life, despite the clockwork influenced fantasy setting. Jack is someone that's done some rotten things. Despite his intentions, people often get hurt as a result. In Calamity Jack, he tries to prove to both his mother and Rapunzel that he can be a good guy too. I found it interesting that in his quest to prove his worthiness for Rapunzel's love, he often ends up accidentally pushing her away. I felt like this made him feel more like a “real guy,” as I could see plenty of people making similar mistakes.

Calamity Jack is a retelling of the fairy tale Jack in the Beanstalk. I like how the author incorporates original elements of the fairy tale (Jack and the Beanstalk), into the main storyline. Another thing worth noting is the artwork (this is a graphic novel after all). While reading Rapunzel's Revenge, I found I had a few issues with the consistency of the artwork, as well as the clarity of some of the actions scenes. This is not an issue I had with Calamity Jack, although I'm not sure if this is due to the fact that that artist, now more used to drawing the characters, has improved, of that I've become more used to the art style. I liked Nathan Hales designs for some of the more monstrous characters, and found them really unique.

Calamity Jack is a great selection for those who have read and enjoyed Rapunzel's Revenge, and should appeal to new fans as well. I don't know if they're planning on writing a third book, but I will be reading it if they do.(less)

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Oct 31, 2010 Reader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-october-2010

In this sequel to Shannon Hale's acclaimed Rapunzel's Revenge fairy tales and early 19th century America meet yet again. This time, the focus is clearly on Jack, the sidekick of Rapunzel's previous efforts. A thief and a criminal, Jack went one step too far when he stole the goose that laid the golden egg from his town's local giant. Now Jack and Punzie are back in the city and things have clearly gone from bad to worse. Giants and Giant Ants are ravaging the city and no one know's quite how to...more

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Jan 04, 2010 Jenny / Wondrous Reads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

I'll be honest here: besides Whedonverse ventures and the odd vampire-themed movie tie-in, I don't do graphic novels. They've never been something that particularly interested me, and I've never actively sought out one that didn't involve Buffy Summers, a stake or the name Richard Matheson. Queue my surprise when I read Calamity Jack, a gangsta retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, and actually enjoyed it. I mean serious must-read-again enjoyment. Weird, eh?

Calamity Jack is funny. The writing is...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Corey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Corey by: Abby Johnson

A continuation of Rapunzel's Revenge, perhaps I enjoyed this one more because it focused more on Jack, and was in a steampunk/fantasy city or because the story was a bit less repetitive than the first in the series, I'm not sure, but I did enjoy this read a bit more than Rapunzel.

She returns in this story, and no spoiler here, uses her hair for some heroics, but the story focuses on Jack. I think Jack is an easier write because his adventures are a little more open ended (see Bill Willingham's s...more

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Jun 28, 2010 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-book-challenge, 2010-ya-book-challenge, children-0-12, fiction, graphic-novel-or-comic, humor, lds-authors, ya-12-19, adventure-survival, fractured-fairy-tale, series, tween-10-13, juv-6-12

I was very excited to return to the world of Rapunzel. Only, technically we returned to the world of Jack. A few of my impressions:

-Very interesting premise, especially the take on the Beanstalk fairy tale.
-The storyline and plot were enjoyable.
-Nice touch with the title.
-It was fun to be back with Rapunzel and Jack.
-I can't stand his nickname for her.
-I thought Freddie was an hilarious addition. (Prudence wasn't so bad either.)
-I liked getting Jack's background. He's not a guy for me, but I...more

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Feb 05, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, comic, fairy-tales, western, fantasy

Jack (of beanstalk fame) is always trying to set things right, even when it involves stealing from the rich and powerful to teach them a lesson. He’s been in his fair share of trouble, especially when he decides to break into a certain giant’s house and steal some golden eggs. One tiny bean turns into a giant green tower, and Jack turns into a wanted man. He’s forced to leave his hometown, his mother, and ventures into the Wild West, where he joins forces with Rapunzel. Years pass, and Jack retu...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Rita Webb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2012, middle-grade, read-with-my-kids

Cute. Cute. Cute.

We get to see our favorite fairy tale characters again: Jack and Punzie.

Only now it's Jack's turn to be in the spotlight as he brings Rapunzel home to meet his mother, but life in the big city isn't how he left it. That giant who lives at the top of the skyscraper--the one with the goos that Jack stole when he planted his magic bean--has taken over and is holding Jack's mom as hostage.

Jack has to make right his past wrongs, but he's afraid of failing. Everything he does fails,...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Charlene Olson odu rated it 3 of 5 stars

Calamity Jack is a sequel to the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge. The story starts with Jack as a young man who always dreams of schemes to get rich quick. His usual accomplice in these schemes is a pixie named Prudence (Pru for short) who has a hat fetish. Jack’s father has passed away, and Jack’s mother runs a combined bakery and café in order to make ends meet. Jack is trying to find a way to makes lots of money to make life easier for his mother. He wants to find a way to break into the Blu...more Calamity Jack is a sequel to the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge. The story starts with Jack as a young man who always dreams of schemes to get rich quick. His usual accomplice in these schemes is a pixie named Prudence (Pru for short) who has a hat fetish. Jack’s father has passed away, and Jack’s mother runs a combined bakery and café in order to make ends meet. Jack is trying to find a way to makes lots of money to make life easier for his mother. He wants to find a way to break into the Blunderbuss’s (a giant) floating penthouse, so he can steal some valuables. Jack gets some “magic beans,” but they don’t seem to work, but a little while later, a huge beanstalk is there. Jack climbs the mysterious beanstalk, makes his way past the dangerous jabberwocky, and steals a goose who lays golden eggs (sound familiar?) After he gets down, Jack realizes the beanstalk is destroying the bakery and nearby tenements, so he cuts down the beanstalk. Unfortunately, a giant (not Blunderbuss) falls to his death, so now Jack is a wanted man. Jack went out to the west where he met Rapunzel. Jack and Rapunzel are now headed back to Shyport (Jack’s hometown) because he now has the money to fix the bakery and tenement thanks to the goose’s eggs. But things are not the way he left them. His mother has been kidnapped by the giant to bake his bread, Pru is now part of a pixie show, and there is a war going on between the giants and the ant people. Can Jack and Rapunzel rescue Jack’s mother? Can they figure out where the ant people came from? Can they save the city from total destruction? And just what exactly is in Blunderbuss’s bread?
I love how the authors took the basic Jack and the Beanstalk story and reworked it. The story is familiar, but not really the same as the fairy tale. The story moved along at a quick pass and the pictures were phenomenal. It is also refreshing to see an action girl hero. I love stories with strong female characters.
(less)

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About Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Reveng...more

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Calamity Jack (Rapunzel's Revenge #2)

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