Neverlanders: A Graphic Novel

Neverlanders #1

by Tom Taylor, Jon Sommariva (Illustrator)

Tom Taylor, the #1 New York Times bestselling and Eisner award-winning author of Nightwing , DCeased, and Injustice, has joined forces with powerhouse illustrator Jon Sommariva ( Harley Quinn ) for this gritty graphic novel set in the world of Peter Pan.

Neverland has become a war zone and now it’s up to a new group of lost teens to set things right!

Bee and her fellow runaways are their own found family. So when a stranger named Paco saves her life, Bee invites him to join their crew, thinking he’s another lost teen. Someone else the world has overlooked. The truth is Paco’s not just a lost teen, he’s a Lost Boy from Neverland. And he needs Bee and the others to come back with him.

When the group is then spirited away by a foul-mouthed Tinker Bell, they discover that Neverland is not some fun-filled hideaway. It's a war zone under siege by a horde of pirates with a merciless new leader who will stop at nothing to steal the land’s magic. Tink leads a fairy army that barely holds them at bay. Peter Pan is gone. And rest of the Lost Boys have been killed. Paco is all that remains . . . but he hopes that this group of teens will become the new Lost Ones. These young runaways may be Neverland’s only hope—but they’re about to learn that it’ll take a lot more than happy thoughts to win a war.

Award-winning and worldwide bestselling author Tom Taylor ( Dark Knights of Steel, Son of Kal-El , Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man ) and artist Jon Sommariva ( Marvel Avengers , Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ) take readers back to the world of Peter Pan , but this explosive reimagining is not your parents’ Neverland.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult, Comics, Middle Grade, Adventure, Retellings

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2022

About the author

Once a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.

Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.

He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.

He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.

Reviews

[Tina's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so friggin cute I loved it.

Neverlanders is a Peter Pan reimagining centered around Paco (the last Lost Boy), Bee (the mom friend), Justin (the overprotective friend), Luz (the supportive friend), Felix (the funny friend), and Gracie (THE MOST ADORABLE FRIEND), and their quest to save Neverland from the merciless pirates.

Absolutely love the twist on Peter Pan this is now one of my favorite reimaginings. The art is so cute I love it. My absolute favorite part is the dialogue it’s literally hilarious. MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS TINKER BELL SHE IS ICONIC. This is now my favorite graphic novel. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is SUCH a great comic about found families! You don’t have to be familiar with the story of Peter Pan to enjoy NEVERLANDERS, but it will definitely help you pick up on all of the little details. Some of the nods to the original characters were a great touch. I really appreciated the take on who the pirates are, and why they’re there. Sommariva’s artwork made me wish I could explore Neverland myself! And a Tink that swears?! I AM HERE FOR IT.

[Jan Agaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

love the art style so much, as well as the storyline with Bee & her mom, but didn't really care for the main plot

[Books on Stereo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neverlanders is a brilliant re-imaging of the Peter Pan tale that leaves you wanted more.

[Sheree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow I will definitely be buying a copy for my classroom, this was fantastic!

After a near-miss with a train where Bee and Luz are rescued by Paco, they take him back to their junkyard home where they live with other lost teens. Only, Paco isn't who he seems and suddenly the crew find themselves (and their trailer) whisked to the second star on the right where they are instantly attacked by airborne pirates. Things keep getting crazier as the crew gain some special skills to help them defend Neverland as the new Lost Ones and possibly find a new home?

The illustrations were colourful and entertaining. I loved the style of the creatures and the clothes, such a fun, fresh perspective.
The story was really well written, with laughs and sadness and a delicious twist towards the end.

This graphic novel would be great for anyone who enjoys reimagined fairytales and fun banter.

Thanks to Penguin Teen Aus for this review copy!

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to see more...

Bookstagram

Website

Thank you Penguin Australia for this book in exchange for an honest review

If you didn’t know. I fricken love Peter Pan. I collect any editions that I come across and I always read as many retellings of the story I can find. So when Penguin hit me up for a review, I jumped at it!
Neverlands is a cute graphic novel with a fresh retelling of the lost boys! In this case they are called the lost ones and it’s about the kids that have lost their way and their joy and hope.
We meet Bee, the leader of a pack of runaways that take in a kid called Paco who tells them he is a lost boy and with the help of Tink, takes the group of lost kids to Neverland.
I’m hoping this little gem is not a standalone and there are more to come, because this was such a great and entertaining read!!!

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of Peter Pan this quick read will delight with its clever, funny and cute take on the famous story.

[Emmett Spain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, funny, absorbing take on the Lost Boys tale, Tom Taylor brings his trademark wit and character work to a well written and well drawn tale with modern, relevant themes. A great read.

[Patrick Peek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this graphic novel reimagining of the Peter Pan story. This is a fresh take on the story of Neverland and the lost boys. In this case they are called the lost ones. They are kids that have lost their way and their hope.

This story follows Bee and her group of fellow runaways after they take in a new kid named Paco. Paco helped save Luz at the train station so Bee invites him to come live with them. Once they get back to their camp, Paco reveals he is a lost boy and with the help of a warrior like Tinkerbell, he whisks the group off to Neverland. What he failed to mention is that Neverland is at war, and Paco needs Bee and her friends to help him fight.

This is such a cute book, but be warned it is not for little kids as there is adult language. The art is gorgeous! Each page is a work of art. I’m not sure if this is going to be a series or if it’s a standalone, but the ending leaves it open for more. Which I hope is the case, because I’m not ready to let these characters go just yet.

[Cherie • bookshelvesandtealeaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This isn’t one I would have chose for myself at all, but I’m so glad it was sent my way anyway because I absolutely adored it!

This is Peter Pan and Neverland reimagined to perfection. There’s villainous sky pirates, a friendly old man and his crocodile, a gang of runaway youths, and a war over Neverland itself.

The characters are all vibrant and real and lovable. My heart went out to these kids and I loved their enthusiasm and light and they way they loved each other so fiercely. And gosh, Tinkerbell was just the absolute best character and you can’t change my mind on this.

I only really wish that more time had been spent with the trauma each of these characters has experienced. I think it would have made the story a little more full and made certain characters actions make a little more sense.

Nonetheless, I can’t recommend this one enough!

[Debra Akins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rainy afternoon called for a quick pick-me-up. Today’s version of that was this super fun reimagining of a continuation of Peter Pan centered around The Lost Boys.

The story is a fresh perspective, action packed, and very engaging. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful! Found family is one of my favorite tropes so of course I was drawn to this. Bee is my favorite character for obvious reasons. Tinker Bell is a close second because her energetic attitude was hilarious to me.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy or fairytale retellings / reimaginings.

Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me this to read and review— it’s an absolute delight! All opinions are my own.

[emma.bookss · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars
thank you penguin teen for an e-arc of this book!
this was such a fun twist on a peter pan retelling! the parallels were there, but it was different enough to keep it interesting and fun!
this was a quick read too! very engaging and enjoyable, and the characters were very like-able as well!
overall, i really enjoyed this!

[Chandra Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the advanced copy of this book. I enjoyed it! I guess it would be considered a continuation AND adaptation of the OG Peter Pan. I really liked the take on Tink, she was a foul-mouthed delight. The found-family of kiddos who were at the center were very sweet, but I wish they had a bit more to them. I could see this making a super fun TV series.

[Vince McCollum · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The twist made me gasp. But it was too rushed. The story needed to be flushed it more. The art was fantastic though.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Neverlanders is a graphic novel modern taken on Peter Pan. Set in modern times, the last of the Lost Boys goes in search of other lost children, and so brings them to NeverLand, which has lost Peter (the Pan) as they call him, as well as all the other lost boys.

The new children get special suits they wear so they can have super powers, and the island choses one of them to become the new Pan, a girl this time.

The Pirates are adults who are trying to destroy Neverland. Great pictures. Fun view of modern Neverland, complete with a punk TinkerBell.

I would recommend it to anyone looking for a variation on the story.

[Annaleise Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fantastic graphic novel reads like a decades-later sequel to Peter Pan and was an absolute delight to discover. The story is inventive, the characters likeable and the artwork excellent. I was thrilled to learn that both the author and illustrator live in Australia. Highly recommended for middle grade and older fans of graphic novels, gorgeous fantasy settings and tales of found family!

[✨Emma ✨ A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovvvve itt! ❤️❤️

[espaizi · Rating 5 out of 5]

i believe the this cute and quirky graphic novel is about chosen family and i loved it🤍 i love me a baddie d”ke Tinker Bell 🥵

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: death, violence, blood, injury, bullying, mentions of school shootings, child death (in the past)

This was the CBCA Older Reader's winner for last year and for some reason, I never quite warmed to it. But I was trying to read a truly ridiculous number of books in January and in desperation at the end of the month, I borrowed a bunch of graphic novels from the library, including this.

And it was delightful.

I loved the concept, and while it was definitely more...comic book-y?...than I anticipated (which makes perfect sense, given the authors), the characters were delightful and I really enjoyed the way the story played out. That being said, I would happily read a dozen more books in this world because it was just FUN.

[ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. this was a really nice, short read! i actually went into this graphic novel thinking that it was a middle grade novel because the style and tone of some of the characters felt a little juvenile to me, but then the first gorey scene happened and i was like oh. oh yeah. this is definitely young adult. i think for a graphic novel of this length the characters and setting were deep enough, but at some points, the characterization was pretty thin. again i think this is because of the length since less pages and also less text means less time to flesh out characters.

thank you to netgalley for an eARC of this book! all opinions are my own.

[Myrna ♡]

This was a book I found at free comic book day earlier this year. I liked the preview, and waited for the rest of it to come out so I could read it. AND SHEESH DID THIS BOOK HAVE SOME PLOT TWISTS. I was definitely not expecting that whole ordeal with Captain Hook and Peter pan, but I’m not surprised someone took the fact that Peter was kinda a jerk and ran with it.

[Marie Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retelling of the classic Peter Pan, Neverlanders is clever and captivating. The story is fast-paced and easy to follow, centered around one of my all time favorite tropes: found family. The artwork is stunning, and the characters are delightful (I absolutely ADORED Gracie). This action-packed graphic novel truly surprised me in the very best way.

[Kirstyn (readwithkirstyn) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neverlanders is a fun graphic novel reimagining the Peter Pan classic story. The fresh take on the lost boys is so fun and adds some more true depth to the story. I wouldn't recommend this for very little but it was a lot of fun and older kids would be perfect for it!

[Amanda M (On The Middle Shelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun revamp on the classic Peter Pan story. I especially enjoyed the superhero-esque aspect of it. Reminded me a little of Big Hero 6 which I love!

[Katey Flowers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Peter Pan retelling with a few playful twists on the classic tale. Was a bit too fast paced for my personal tastes, but I can see many 11-15 year olds enjoying this.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice kids story. Little thin story, but illustrations is very good.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun powers for the lost ones. I found that there wasn't enough time given to the conflict or resolution between the Neverlanders and the pirates.

I'm a rose bush!

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite graphic novel I’ve read, but I love Peter Pan lore and some of the twists in this were fantastic.

[liza’s reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

it’s for book club don’t ask

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is only very short, so things like overall story and character development are going to be short and to the point. It was a fun enough read, but the plot and direction was a little bit corny.

This one definitely seems aimed at a younger audience. The art was stunning, though, and worked really well for the story.