Table Titans Club By Scott Kurtz

Let me first go on record to say that there had best be more in this series soon, as we loved it and need more Table Titans Club. You or your parents may know Scott Kurtz from the Eisner and Harvey award-winning webcomic PvP, which has run online for over 24 years, and this makes Scott uniquely qualified to put together a new graphic novel series based on a middle school Dungeon & Dragons club.

The main character (heroine) is Valeria Winters, who is moving schools once again and has to find a way to fit in, as her past school experiences have not ended all that great. Once the local Table Titans find out that Val is in to fantasy, things start to look up. She joins the Table Titans gaming club with Alan, Andrew and Darius, and she feels like she belongs. Things won’t be that easy though as we know with any adventure there will be obstacles for Valerie to overcome like the wrestling coach and popular girl Kate, who seems miffed for some reason at Val.

Scott Kurtz has been doing it for a while and the drawing and coloring are outstanding and bring you right into the story. We love the characters and how each one of the Table Titans group feels like a middle school student dealing with things that kids have to deal with in real life. Both the wrestling coach and Kate stories come to a great conclusion, which we won’t give away, it seems like Val may have found her place, let us just hope that this time she gets to stay put. We all kind of wish that all middle schools had such an awesome tabletop gaming club, but you never know until you ask around, maybe it is time to start your own Table Titans Club! This first book seems like the introduction to a great series as Val gets to meet everyone and get into the club as she also get acclimated to a new school. We are really looking forward to seeing of the Table Titans Club and both their fantasy and real life adventures.

Note: A digital copy of the book was provided for review.

Hardcover
Published by Holiday House
Mar 05, 2024 | 224 Pages | 6 x 9 | Middle Grade (8-12) | ISBN 9780823453160

Description
Growing pains, game-play adventure, and 20-sided dice abound in this new graphic novel series about a middle school Dungeon & Dragons club from an Eisner and Harvey Award-winning cartoonist.

Valeria Winters has an easier time finding trouble than making friends. A fantasy-obsessed nerd with the legendary confidence—and temper—of a Valkyrie, Val promises her mom that things will be different at her new school. “No more fighting!”

As if by fate, she meets the Table Titans right away—Alan, Andrew, and Darius, who run the school’s tabletop gaming club. Finally, Val has found her own adventuring party! And even better . . . a place where she belongs.

So when the future of the club is threatened, Val makes it her personal quest to save the Table Titans. She’ll have to face the fire-breathing wrestling coach and popular girl Kate, who seems out for revenge. Revenge for what? Val has no clue.

As the quest grows more and more complicated, Val wishes she was like her peaceful druid Lulani from the Table Titans’ campaign, whose calm voice always prevails. If she loses her cool in real life, Val might lose more than the Table Titans club. She’ll have to roll a natural 20 in charisma to keep her new friends together.

Set in the same universe as the Eisner Award-winning webcomic PvP, Scott Kurtz’s artwork blends zany, fantastical visuals with slice-of-life humor. For fans of fantasy and coming of age stories alike, Table Titans finds humor, heart, and adventure in a tale of friendship and finding your people.