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Adventure Time (KaBOOM! OGNs)

Adventure Time: Playing with Fire

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The hit Adventure Time comic continues with a brand new original graphic novel series!What Time Is It? Adventure Time! A full-length ADVENTURE TIME original graphic novel in the same popular format as Scott Pilgrim and your favorite manga! Join Finn as he goes on his most intense adventure yet…with his crush, the Flame Princess! Written by acclaimed web cartoonist Danielle Corsetto (Girls with Slingshots)!

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 11, 2013

85 people are currently reading
2244 people want to read

About the author

Danielle Corsetto

20 books82 followers
Danielle Corsetto created her first comic strip when she was 8 years old, starting with a blatant rip-off of Garfield called Fat Cat.She started writing Hazelnuts in high school, the precursor to Girls With Slingshots (unbeknownst to her at the time), and ran a comic about super-slacker college kids called Ramblers in the student paper at Shepherd College (as well as popimage.com).
In October of 2004, she began Girls With Slingshots, and a couple of years later she was doing the strip full-time. It’s now updated 5 times a week at some god-awful hour.

In addition to GWS, Danielle wrote and drew The New Adventures of Bat Boy for the Weekly World News, taking the reins from Bat Boy’s kind & talented former creator Peter Bagge.

Danielle lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia in a 230-year-old house with her two cats, Smudge and Ellie (aka Fluffy and Sprinkles) and her 9-year-old goldfish Goldie. She loves sipping tea, going for hikes, and eating local foods, because she is a filthy filthy hippie.

(Source: http://www.girlswithslingshots.com/ab...)

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5 stars
1,664 (54%)
4 stars
833 (27%)
3 stars
443 (14%)
2 stars
90 (2%)
1 star
43 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
Profile Image for A Bookish ✧ Fable.
110 reviews17 followers
March 31, 2018
HAPPY EASTER!
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I really do love these comics so much ahh, My mom got me this one as a easter gift, she even hid it in the garden for me to look after😂 Amazing!
4.5/5
Profile Image for Dimitri Gomes.
106 reviews1 follower
November 26, 2020
This is a great comic that really captures the essence and spirit of Adventure Time. The entire read feels like delving into a detailed episode of the actual show, which is a high plus point for me. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5 is highly subjective: the black and white art. For me, Adventure Time is synonymous with bright colours, so a little bit of the enjoyment feels lost when looking at it through a monochromatic lens. So, so close to a 5.
Profile Image for Lane.
178 reviews3 followers
September 8, 2021
I had a great time with this! It was fun seeing things from Flame Princess’s perspective and I feel like she acted according how to she would in the show, and I enjoyed the overall storyline as well. I definitely think I would’ve liked it being full color rather than black and white, but on the same hand I don’t think it necessarily took away from my enjoyment either. I’m interested to see how the others from Corsetto are!
Profile Image for Mary Rose.
231 reviews71 followers
August 22, 2015
description
Adoro a la Princesa Flama y más por su relación con Finn. ♥


Me encanta Adventure Time, así que no es sorprendente que tarde o temprano iba a terminar leyendo las novelas gráficas o los cómics. Por suerte (y para sorpresa mía) no terminé esperando tanto en conseguir la primera (y que al mismo tiempo me haya enterado que empezaron a editar las novelas gráficas de AT en edición argentina) y debo reconocer que me ha encantado.
Amé a la Princesa Flama en esta historia. En serio. Su amor por Finn es de lo más dulce a tal punto de que es capaz de prender fuego todo; especialmente cuando tiene que rescatarlo de las garras de ese dragón mentecato. Obviamente también estará Jake para hacerla entrar en razón a la princesa en su método de hacer las cosas y a Finn... que no se comporta precisamente como el héroe de siempre (y teniendo en cuenta lo que pasó).
El desenlace obviamente me encantó: muy de AT. Aunque sé que en el fondo que la Princesa Flama, a pesar de ser inestable, se convertirá en alguien bueno (y no como su padre, del cual no me agrada para nada).
Lo que me echó un poquito para atrás fue ver que la novela gráfica estaba en blanco y negro. No es que no me guste (de hecho, leo manga y la mayor parte de ellos están 100% en blanco y negro - salvo algunas excepciones en donde vienen acompañados de un par de páginas a color), pero después de ver de entrada esa preciosa portada y siendo AT me dio la impresión de que estaría ilustrado a todo color. De todos modos, se disfruta leyendo la historia en blanco y negro.
Por último, la novela gráfica tiene un bonus extra: además de la historia, tenemos un mini comic de Hora de aventuras con Beemo realizado por Meredith McClaren. Es una mini historia sin diálogos (más bien sin palabras textuales) que he me ha entretenido y es toda una monada.
Jugar con fuego es una novela gráfica que seguro disfrutarán a cualquier persona que le encante Adventure Time. Eso y que quieran ver más de la Princesa Flama (como yo).
Profile Image for Stay Fetters.
2,467 reviews191 followers
September 30, 2015
Finn takes Flame Princess to the carnival kingdom. A date it shall be. FP wants her fortune told and it only says... you will lose something and then poof nothing.
What she really loses is her bf, Finn. She looks high and low and she must defeat puzzles to find her Finny. Maybe all you really need is love to conquer life.
Profile Image for mara.
11 reviews
April 5, 2022
ocena jest tak wysoka przez sentyment dla at
Profile Image for Jemma.
409 reviews44 followers
June 5, 2019
Finn and Jake take Finn's girlfriend Flame Princess to Carnival Kingdom for the first time, but things go a little wonky when FP gets her fortune told. Instead of always being the hero, this time Finn needs rescuing!

This was a cute, short story with a few pages of BMO cuteness at the end. Not as fun a story as some of the others. I'm not sure if it's a thing with this set of graphic novels but it's in black and white (all the others I've read were colour). Even so, there was enough depth of shading and I know Adventure Time well enough now to be able to enjoy it just fine.
Profile Image for Zach.
153 reviews
June 11, 2023
Fun fluffy adventure time story. If you're nostalgic for the days of finn and fp's blooming relationship this is for you. The bonus Beemo comic at the end is the cherry on top.
Profile Image for Charles.
Author 75 books132 followers
July 18, 2013
Stuff I Read – Adventure Time Playing with Fire Review

So when this was announced I had a bit of a nerdgasm, I must admit. I am a huge Adventure Time fan, both of the show and the comic. And the video game, I guess. And most things about the show. Which I guess sort of disqualifies the use of the word both, but oh well. Onward! In any event, when it was announced that they were making an Adventure Time original graphic novel, I was pumped. When I heard that it was a sort of romance story between Finn and the Flame Princess, I was just as pumped. Because adventure, that’s why! The only trouble, really, was that because I don’t get cartoon network and because the show is cruel about when it releases DVDs, I haven’t actually seen the introduction to Flame Princess. No troubles, though, as the story does an adequate job showing who she is and what she means to our intrepid adventurer, Finn.

The format of the book is black and white, which is perhaps a little disappointing given what a colorful world Adventure Time inhabits, but I found that through the clever use of shadow and similar techniques that the book avoids seeming bland, becoming quite expressive and moody in places and entertaining throughout, still able to capture the charm of the show. The characters still look like they should, and there are enough artistic flourishes like the close up on what I’ll call Finn’s “romance face” that make the art stand out but not seem at odds with what I’ve seen in the past.

The character work was very solid stuff, too, with the writer capturing these characters to the point that you can (or at least I did) hear them in your mind as you’re reading. And the humor and darkness from the show is all retained, which is a big plus, because that’s one of the big parts about what makes Adventure Time so interesting, that it manages to blend some seriously dark themes with this whimsy and fuun that is infectious. And this graphic novel is no exception, having Finn get kidnapped and putting Flame Princess in the driver’s seat in getting him back. This reversal of the traditional roles is great, and made better by Jake being along for the ride, ready and willing to be his lazy and awesome self.

Which leaves, I guess, the romance aspects of story to touch on, because that’s a big seller for this, that it’s this sweet little story between Flame Princess and Finn. It’s awesome. Flame Princess is such a great character, troubled by her upbringing and potential for violence and at the same time incredibly driven and assertive, very decisive in how she approaches every aspect of the challenge. And Finn is the naïve adventurer who believes that people are good, that people can kick their problems in the butt and be happy. And while it doesn’t always work out that way, it’s that belief that things can get better that makes him such a force for good, because we see what happens in the story when Finn is without his hope, his zest. It’s a literally big part of who he is. And Finn and Flame Princess work. They are fully rounded characters and complement each other nicely.

Which leaves me really nothing negative to say about this, which is unusual. I really did like pretty much every aspect of this book. It doesn’t perhaps had as many layers as some works, but there is a surprising amount that can be unpacked from this. And through it all I think it works both for children and adults, and it tells a complete story. What more do you want? Read this book. I did, and I like it enough to give it a 9.5/10.
Profile Image for Donald.
28 reviews8 followers
May 27, 2013
The Adventure Time product line maintains a certain level of quality and this addition is no different. Whereas the monthly series written by Ryan North seems to be stories running parallel to the cartoon show, episodes that don't shape the larger over-arching plot if you will, this volume feels like a major plot point in the Adventure Time saga, which, with the pathos and backstories that have been emerging in the most recent seasons, seems a bit more intense.

This so-called "pocket-sized" (who has a pocket this big?) not only has the Flame Princess and Finn articulate their feelings for each other a little more clearly, but also begins to unpack what will be the Flame Princess's character arc--her struggle to keep her chaotic flame tendencies in check while being offered rulership of the flame kingdom if she only embraces her evil side. Marcelene faces a similar choice in ruling the Nightosphere, but that struggle is more about her getting recognition from her dad for being her own person instead of Flame Princess who's facing a challenge of fate and disposition.

Heady descriptions for what is supposedly a kids' series, and it is a kids' series. That the characters deal with such human concerns--and deal with them in ways that are not pat or simplifying--is the strength of this franchise. The show began as something very dada with so many internet references--and this book continues that aesthetic, trading internet references for manga references--but now has real characters who are conflicted about their choices. The art is good, looks like the cartoon, but it feels like it would have been better in color, that it was drawn with the thought it'd be colorized.

I have criticism with some moments of confusion, how we got to this point from that point, but overall it's a quick, enjoyable read. I'd even say too-quick, that I wanted more, which is always a good sign. There's a cute backup story with BMO that's, for all intents and purposes, dialogue free. Again, the art draws on many manga conventions with aplomb which only serves to add to the delight.
Profile Image for Michael.
165 reviews8 followers
June 18, 2013
Great addition to the Adventure Time line. I've been enjoying the regular comics and graphic novels, but they have always seemed like stand alone adventures. None of them really touched on the events in the show. That changes for Playing with Fire.

The story is charming, with Flame Princess trying to calm her chaotic side to be with Finn. The humor was spot on, just like in the show. There were quite a few times when I was chuckling.

The art was good, but there were a lot of "manga moments" that made me feel like I was reading a less serious story by CLAMP. The characters would turn Super Deformed and make amusing faces. This doesn't bother me one bit, but children and non-manga readers may find it to be a bit confusing (or unnerving, especially with Shoujo Finn on one of the pages).

I would like to take a moment to mention the tones, or black and white coloring in the graphic novel. There were some pages that were just way overdone. Tones should be subtle in the cases of something as animated as this. I noticed that flat grayscale and gradients started showing up more deeper into the graphic novel. Mixed with tones, you get uneven, confusing coloring.

After the story draws to a close, there is an exceptionally charming BMO short comic, styled similarly to Japanese yonkoma (4-panel) comics. My son was really confused about the sumo reference (where BMO was wearing the mawashi a.k.a. "sumo undies"). There are a lot of Japanese and manga references that seem out of place inside this GN. Not a complain on my part, but it's something that may be just a bit outside the understanding of Adventure Time's general audience.

I am looking forward to the second book though. It was definitely an amusing, charming adventure.
Profile Image for Mel.
448 reviews95 followers
June 1, 2016
I am on a comics kick right now and I am trying out an unlimited borrowing subscription from comixology and the first month is free. There isn't tons on it but I have had found some interesting things and a lot of first volumes are unlimited and then once you are hooked on the comic, whammo ----- you have to buy them. I'm not sure if I am going to stay with the borrowing service but for now it is providing a ton of cheap entertainment.

Anyway, I used to watch this cartoon (and I really liked it) until it turned into nonsense that I even I couldn't follow so when I saw this comic, I thought why not. This was a fun one and a fast read. It was nothing spectacular but it did provide some cheap entertainment for the commute home. It also would be fine for anyone to read including the kiddies. Not bad, three stars and I would probably read the next one if it is on unlimited.
Profile Image for Alice Urchin.
229 reviews40 followers
October 30, 2013
Man, I wish this was in color. That's my only complaint, and it actually still looks really great without it. It's a really cute story, and the art never disappoints. I liked Flame Princess before reading this, but now I totally love her. I didn't realize she was such a strong, funny character. I love her passion for Finn and her crazy temper. I also like her good/evil conundrum. The ending was totally adorable, too. ^.^
Profile Image for Kristin.
1,645 reviews22 followers
August 14, 2015
I must admit I'm getting very confused as to what order these things belong in and what the difference is between the original graphic novel series and the regular graphic novel series is. This book, which was very good, seemed to go on the premise that the reader already knew the back story between Finn and Flame Princess, etc. This was also black and white, which the other comics I've read have not been done in. Cute, but disorienting.
Profile Image for Alicia.
3,245 reviews33 followers
May 21, 2013
An excellent story from the Adventure Time universe--Flame Princess is amazing. Really an interesting character, struggling with her temper/evil side.
Profile Image for Becky -  Pug and Books.
379 reviews2 followers
October 13, 2017
Adventure Time: Playing with Fire by Danielle Corsetto

Star Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5 stars

Format: library graphic novel

Summary: When a carnival fortune teller kidnaps Finn, it is up to Flame Princess to rescue him.

Review: This was a real fun story, I like Flame Princess a lot so was cool that she was the main focus of this graphic novel. I like that it focuses on her doing quests her own way but figuring out that blasting through things with fire isn't always the answer.

It also focuses on her struggle with being identified as a hero, which she was but she refuses to believe that she could be. This has been a reoccurring theme in the show so it's cool that the writers used it in the graphic novel.

There wasn't as much humor as I'm used to with Adventure Time in this. I mean, it isn't always silly all the time but I don't know, I guess with it not being focused on Finn and Jake it didn't have the same sort of humor in it.

It was cool that Finn and Flame Princess were able to kiss without Finn getting burned because Flame Princess had been working on controlling her flames more. I do wish this happened in the show as well. I know Finn and Flame Princess aren't even together now but when they were. It would have been cool to see (and rub in PB's face). Sorry not sorry, I like PB but she's a jerk to Flame Princess for no good reason.

I like this series of one shot stories Adventure Time graphic novels. It's nice that the whole arc was contained within one story. Although there are so many Adventure Time comic series it's a little overwhelming but I think I've figured it out. Hopefully...

So far though the Adventure Time comics seem to be pretty good. Sometimes with comics based off cartoon shows aren't very good and have little depth to them but the Adventure Time ones are pretty great.

Recommendation: If you like the show then you'll most likely enjoy this graphic novel. I'd def check this out.
Profile Image for Angustia⋆Cósmica.
334 reviews13 followers
June 14, 2025
Picked this up on a whim to get my reading gears going again; all while doing a lil trip down memory lane. I used to be big on Adventure Time back in the day, so this felt like revisiting a bunch of old friends after a long time.

Flame Princess was a favourite of mine so it was nice to get to see her again, I always thought her and Finn were just such a cute couple. FP learning to do normal stuff like going to a carnival or playing games was a cozy story to get into, only for it to build up into learning how to be a hero herself.
The little throw in anime designs were such a cute detail to add too, double the fun with those.

It's crazy how many cartoons have a bunch of original comics out there, I'm dying to see what else I can find.
Profile Image for Nicole.
376 reviews30 followers
May 6, 2017
I picked led this up purely because one of the booktubers I follow cosplays someone from this show. I really like it. I'll have to actually watch the show and see if I like the show too. Also F.P. is gorgeous
Profile Image for Andrew.
61 reviews3 followers
January 14, 2020
Equal parts adorable romance and fun adventure romp this tale of F.P. and Finn's relationship early days is just great. The black-and-white art is wonderful, and as beautifully colorful as The Land of Ooo is this made me wish more of the stories were depicted this way.
26 reviews3 followers
January 29, 2022
Finn's soul has been stolen (Luckily not from Marceline's dad). Flame Princess and Jake team up to save him through insanely awesome challenges and run into some familiar faces. I consider this Graphic Novel Canon to the show
Profile Image for Janay Johnston.
105 reviews3 followers
October 14, 2023
Meh .. idk. I love the show, but idk if this translated as well for me via graphic novel. Nothing was particularly bad about it but nothing stood out either. Maybe I was expecting too much for what it was. I mean it's Finn and Jake lol 🤷🏾‍♀️ Maybe I will read another volume and give it a second go.
Profile Image for Hugh.
11 reviews10 followers
February 15, 2017
Good fun and a bunch of heart, pretty much everything you need in a quick Adventure Time read. Mathematical indeed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews

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