The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo #1

by Drew Weing

Charles just moved to Echo City, and some of his new neighbors give him the creeps. They sneak into his room, steal his toys, and occasionally, they try to eat him.

The place is teeming with monsters!

Lucky for Charles, Echo City has Margo Maloo, monster mediator. No matter who’s causing trouble, Margo knows exactly what to do―the neighborhood kids say monsters are afraid of her . It's a good thing, because Echo City's trolls, ogres, and ghosts all have one thing in they don't like Charles very much.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Horror, Mystery, Childrens

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monster hiding in your closet? Who you gonna call? Margo Maloo! Margo is actually more of a monster 'mediator' - she tries to make sure that both humans and monsters can get along now that they live next to each other in the city. Great story about a little girl who is able to come up with solutions that do not involve use of force or violence - a lesson for all of us.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshing story this is. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Have you ever wondered if there were someone who knows the back corners of the ghostly and ghoulish world. Well, wonder no more. Margo Maloo is known throughout the Ghostly world and she can solve any case. This little girl is bossing the ghouls around.

The art is bright and the ghouls are quite filled with personality. This is a little fun gem and I'm happy I found it.

[First Second Books]

Cartooning powerhouse Drew Weing delivers a breakthrough graphic novel with this first volume of The Creepy Casefiles of Margo Maloo. A favorite within the indie comics scene, Weing is definitely a talent worthy of greater recognition. We had a wonderful time working with him and expect this pitch-perfect middle grade adventure to be a big hit.

[erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

great golly greatness! Kids AND monsters are both oppressed! I adore kids voicing/acting/advocating for kid empowerment, and a kid-wannabe-journalist is just plain amazing as a structure for talking about truth, fiction, "alternative facts"…. Margo Maloo is a peacekeeper, crafty, wise, skilled in diplomacy, empathetic, and the person you want on your side. The parents were…too relatable for me? Which means I adored them too. Great family and friend relationships, as well as concepts of what community means. I can't wait for more of this series! Kiddo also adored it -- laughed loads and great conversations. Also: Please make BattleBeanz real.

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic! Gorgeously drawn, funny, smart. Charles is NOT excited to move to Echo City into a decaying hotel his parents plan to renovate. He's even more freaked out to discover the hotel is home to actual living monsters. But as soon as he meets Margo Maloo, Monster Mediator, his aspiring journalist skills are activated. He wants to know everything there is to know about this hidden community in Echo City, to follow Margo around on cases and possibly publish the results on his blog. Charles is brave, but the threat of being eaten by an ogre is real! Very excited to read the rest of the books in this series.

[disco · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork was really interesting and unique, but I think there could have been less text and it would have been stronger.

[Maricruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buen cómic infantil de aventuras, con un dibujo atractivo, simpáticos personajes y unas historias interesantes y entretenidas. Supongo que para la edad para la que está planteado (niños de la edad de mi hijo, nueve años, y de ahí para arriba o algo para abajo) tiene la extensión adecuada, pero a mí se me ha hecho supercorto y ya me gustaría tener a mano la segunda entrega, Margo Maloo y los chicos del centro comercial.

[FangirlNation · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo is a strong, middle-grade fantasy comic. Weing includes humor into The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo, and as he tells his story, works in the message that it is a bad idea to judge by appearances. Charles starts out assuming that he can tell which creatures–and people–are problems just by looking at them. As the story continues, he gains appreciation for Margo’s skills as a mediator, not a fighter.

This is one of the book’s many strengths: It stresses the power of negotiation, of taking a step back and letting each side find out what is really going on and how to solve problems equitably. The book also offers a multi-cultural set of main characters. This time, diversity is not left to the monsters–though they are also a pleasingly varied lot, ranging from the small and harried-looking to the gigantic and tooth-filled.

The rest of this review and additional reviews, interviews, and news are online on FangirlNation

[Paul Hasbrouck · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this delightful graphic novel Charlie and his parents have moved to Echo City. As his Dad fixes up a decaying Art Deco hotel, Charlie discovers that urban crime isn't only thing he has to worry about, there are real "things" monsters out to get him. The only person who can help is Margo Maloo, Monster Mediator. Her job is to keep the both the city's monsters and kids safe. She faces Trolls, Orges, ghosts, all the time wearing the traditional trench coat( see John Constantine) , riding a bicycle or climbing the many fire escapes of Echo City. Reluctant at first(for the fear of eating) Charlie becomes Margo assistant in future adventures.

Fun stuff.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun all-age book. It's a story that younger readers will appreciate -- who doesn't like creepy and fun monsters? -- but it's also a text that others will enjoy, both in its storyline and in the sophistication of the narration. We discussed the webcomics version of this on a recent webcomics episode of the podcast, http://comicsalternative.com/webcomic....

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute monster story. Kid and his family moves into a big, run-down building in "Echo City" (NYC standin), discovers monsters are real and a new friend who works with them. Great world building.

Like it a lot, want to read more. Wish the protagonist wasn't another white boy (Margo is the friend).

Great concept and unique art style to go with it.

[Siina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo is amazing and very entertaining! I just love good comics for kids that don't take the readers for granted. Margo Maloo is clever, witty and a wonderful adventure altogether with great characters and well-built plot. It tells the story of Charles, who has just moved into Echo City, but doesn't like the city all that much. He ends up meeting this mysterious Margo Maloo, who's a monster mediator and together they begin investigating disappearances and other supernatural "crimes". Both Charles and Margo are amazing characters with recognizable personas and an awesome sense of humor. There are a couple of cases in the comic and all their plots work well and at the same time the ground plot gets meat around its bones. This comic fits both girls and boys and adults alike, which is something I have to raise my hat to. The flow is good and the panels are clear and big, which leaves room for the art and mysterious things.

The art looks a little like that from the 1990s, but it's not a bad thing. The colors are bright and at the same time the shadows and monsters are dark and tempting. There's a good balance between these two. I really liked the illustrations at the back too, since they brought this magical touch to the comic. I enjoyed the slightly smudgy-like line work with the wonky characters and monsters - it gives the style persona and makes this different. A wonderful first volume from Weing, keep up the good work!

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: 4 stars
Art: 4 stars

Short full-color children's graphic novel consisting of the first three chapters/issues of this new series. The title is misleading in that these stories are actually the case files of Charles, a wanna-be journalist whose parents have just moved him to a creepy old hotel his dad is renovating in a much more urban environment that he is used to living. He discovers a troll living in the hotel and calls Margo Maloo, Monster Mediator, for help. Later, he teams up with her as her assistant.

Not scary enough for middle schoolers, but just right for elementary school students. The format, in which the chapters all read as separate stories, also works well for that age group, since youngsters can read and digest the book in pieces, or even separate sittings. The monster descriptions in the back of the book are fun and reminiscent of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Art is above average.

[LALa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was recommended to me and luckily my library had it so I checked it out. I'm participating in my own Halloween season celebration, by doing 61 Days of Halloween and thought this "creepy" book would be fun to add into the mix.

I don't regret my decision, while Charles took some warming up to (can't really blame him), I was instantly intrigued by the mysterious Margo Maloo: Monster Mediator. She appears to be a kid, but is she? I don't know for sure but have some speculations about her origins. The cases are cute and likely fun for kids while being a little spooky, but not too scary. I'm actually looking forward to more books (which I hope are coming) because there's quite a bit of questions floating around. Anywho, dug the artwork style and like the guide about all the monsters/creatures featured in the cases and their sketches.

While the Halloween/fall season might be an ideal timing, reading this graphic novel obviously works any time of the year and might encourage the kiddos to do their own monster mediation or investigations :)

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Echo City is a strange and frightening place indeed, and for new arrival, Charles, it seems to be a most unfriendly place. His possessions are disappearing, and there seem to be monsters everywhere. Fortunately for Charles, he gains the friendship of Margo Maloo, who bridges the divide between humans and monsters. For reasons that aren't clear at the start, Margo has managed to tame all these monsters, and they seem more afraid of her than she is of them. Anyone who likes trolls, ogres, and goblins with a couple of ghosts tossed in on the side will find this graphic novel highly entertaining. Although it's filled with humor and Charles is not the most adventurous sort, the book also contains hair-raising situations that will get readers' hearts pumping much faster than usual since it isn't always clear how everything is going to turn out. Late elementary and intermediate readers are the perfect audience for this book.

[Bookish]

This graphic novel is tons of fun! I’m planning on giving it to my niece, who is in middle school and would adore the fearless Margo. The story is led by Charles, who is new to the city and stunned to learn that monsters lurk everywhere. He’s a great guide, but I would love to see a book that tackles how Margo became a monster mediator. —Stephanie (https://www.bookish.com/articles/staf...)

[Julia Mcknight · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny and entertaining read! Great characters - loved the hipster parents all preoccupied with renos and post-graduate degrees. Super mature, capable kids taking on the world with a wry sense of humour.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Charles Thompson's reservations and prejudices about moving to a new city are dispelled by the fearless monster mediator Margo Maloo as the two solve mysteries and venture into the dark depth of Echo City.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and hope there are some more!

[goodbyewaffles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about ghosts and gentrification and it is awesome
(also a super-cute fantasy/mystery with adorable main characters)
gr. 4-7

[DW]

Margo is a badass. I like her look, how tough and no nonsense she is, and that she is a monster mediator.

Fun graphic novel for younger people. It isn't needlessly sanitized, which is refreshing.

[Eric Orchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really, super fun book.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel and highly recommend it. Especially if you like to read spooky things with monsters in it. We follow Charles who has just moved with his parents to the penthouse apartments of a dilapidated building echo city. He soon encounters a monster and has to call a girl named Margo who specializes in monsters. We then follow them on different cases around the city as they help spooky issues. I’m looking forward to picking up the next book in the series.

[Jenn Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I'm going to have to check for monsters under my bed, and in my closet, and in my basement. Oh, wait, I don't have a basement. I guess if I find any I can always call Margo Maloo to handle them. I'm just glad Charles isn't such a wuss at the end.

[Heather Culley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtext on gentrification is even handed and thoughtful. GOOD child characters.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this is cute and laugh out loud funny. Margo is awesome. I want more!

[Jim N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming and beautifully drawn. This book is a winner for readers of any age.

[NoeLautnerStory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideal para los niños. Y más si lo leen este mes con motivo de Halloween.

[Keisha | A Book Like You · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant surprise! Just stumbled upon this one on my library’s Libby app. I definitely want to read more in the series!

[RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the stories and the monsters! Beautiful artwork. Loved seeing a badass lady taking charge and gettin' things done!