Chaos at 30,000 Feet! (spoilers)

[tomswift2002]

I was just looking on Chapters.ca, Amazon.com and Amazon.ca and all three sites are listing a new release date for this book.  Instead of the book being released on November 24, 2009, the new date is February 2, 2010.

[SDLagent]

Yeah, noticed that. The release dates for the graphic novels have been pushed back a few times. As it stands, now, #20 Deadly Strategy will come out the following month! 

[Bigfootman]

Let's hope the release dates don't get pushed back to 2000 and never.

[SDLagent]

You know this isn't your usual Hardy Boys Adventure when Amelia Earhart pops up! In their wildest and strangest mission yet, Frank and Joe investigate the bizarre events at the Fly-Rite Flight Instruction School, and what they find may be their death!

I believe this is new info. I got it from Papercutz.com, by the way.

[hardygirl847]

Just cruising around Amazon today and found listings for this and another new one....Both are listed to come out in March?!

Hardy Boys #19: Chaos at 30,000 Feet! (Hardy Boys Graphic Novels: Undercover Brothers) by Scott Lobdell and Paulo Henrique (Paperback - Mar. 16, 2010)
Buy new: $7.95

Available for Pre-order. This item will be released on Mar. 16, 2010.


2. Hardy Boys #20: Deadly Strategy (Hardy Boys Graphic Novels: Undercover Brothers) by Scott Lobdell and Paulo Henrique (Paperback - Mar. 30, 2010)
Buy new: $8.99

Available for Pre-order. This item will be released on Mar. 30, 2010.

[SDLagent]

Chaos at 30,000 Feet! was originally slated to come out late last year, then it got pushed back to February, and now it looks like it's been pushed back another month. I'm guessing Deadly Strategy will get pushed back, now, too.

This a long wait. I've been looking forward to  Deadly Strategy  for awhile.

Thanks for the update, BTW.

[hardygirl847]

No problemo! I hope they come out when they are supposed to this time!! I wonder what the hold up is...?

[SDLagent]

The Graphic Novels have a history of release delays. This is probably because, unlike other Hardy Boys series, there's one writer writing all the books (and since #12, one artist).

[NancyDrew]

Gosh darn it. I hope they stop pushing it back no matter the reason. lol I'm just looking forward to a new book.

[hardygirl847]

The Graphic Novels have a history of release delays. This is probably because, unlike other Hardy Boys series, there's one writer writing all the books (and since #12, one artist).

That makes sense. I guess only time will tell...

[SDLagent]

I got my copy, today! I'll post a review, later...

One thing I noticed, is that on the cover and on the spine, the title reads "Chaos at 30,000 Feet'' without the exclamation point, but on the title page and copyright page, it's ''Chaos at 30,000 Feet![/i] with the exclamation point.

[SDLagent]

Chaos at 30,000 Feet!
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Paulo Henrique Marcondes
Letterer: Mark Lerer
Colorist: Laurie E. Smith
Production: Mikhaela Reid & Masheka Wood
Editorial Assistant: Michael Petranek
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Salicrup

You know this isn't your usual Hardy Boys adventure when Amelia Earhart pops up!

In their wildest and strangest mission yet, Frank and Joe investigate the bizarre goings-on at the Fly-Rite Flight Instruction School, and what they find may be their death!

Plot: After thwarting a bomb threat at a ocean park with the help of the FBI, Frank and Joe attend Bayport Annual Aviation Education Week, where fellow Bayport High student Suzi Shields is playing the role of Amelia Earhart. The event goes well but things take a turn for the worst, when, in a freak accident, Suzi loses her memory and, bizarrely, believes she is Amelia Earhart!

On the way home, the Hardys receive a briefing on the next mission from ATAC. The brothers are to go to Fly Rite Airplane School where a number of students have had their home broken into during class. Suspects include owner Al Sapienza, his stepson Antony Brandt, and company spokesmodel Cortney Powel.

The boys are hardly off the bus that takes them to the school when a plane dive-bombs them and opens fire on them. Inside the school things aren't much better. A motor goes on a rampage, a building burns, and, if not for the Hardy's heroics, someone would surely have been killed. Thankfully, before any more damage can be done, and even before Frank and Joe get a chance to do any real sleuthing, the culprit, who turns out to be Cortney Powel, snaps and, pretty much out of the blue, takes Brandt hostage.

Cortney takes off in the plane, and Frank and Joe pursue in a plane piloted by "Amelia Earhart". After they contact ATAC for back-up, the Hardys jump from their plane onto Cortney's and manage to overpower her and take control. ATAC shows-up just in time to take Cortney away.

Review: This title, in my opinion, is, sadly, one of the poorest in the series. Although full of plot holes (how did Cortney know Frank and Joe were investigators?), the main story isn't really that bad, and isn't what makes me give this title such a low rating. It's the subplots. Like with the last installment in the series, I feel Lobdell had some good ideas but didn't develop them enough and/or execute them very well. It almost seems like he's struggling with the limited number of pages each of these stories have. In this one, it's the Suzi Shields identity crisis story which is left totally unresolved and unexplained.

This story wasn't without it's highlights, however. I really enjoyed the scene where Joe tells Frank, who is feeling guilty, that they can't save everyone. Overall, the brotherly banter, especially when they first saw Cortney, was enjoyable. Also, I thought it was cool that Lobdell choice to locate this adventure in Dixonville, and found it interesting to learn that Aunt Trudy doesn't like flying.

I'd say this is probably the best looking title in the series. So, while I wasn't very impressed by Scott Lobdell's contribution to the story, I have nothing bad to say about Paulo Henrique's work (other then maybe the maybe Aunt Trudy looking too young). I still could do without the "cartoon" panels, but Henrique has said before how much he likes doing those, so I don't expect them to disappear. And they aren't badly drawn, I just don't like that style.

Rating: 2/5

[MacGyver]

Good to know this title has finally been released. I'll have to get it ordered from Amazon.com or my local comic book shop soon. (Because I sure can't find these in stores.)

[SDLagent]

Anyone else read this, yet? Notice I've added a poll to this thread.

[tomswift2002]

I've read it.  I don't know...it felt like I had been invited to dinner and all that was served were dinner rolls and kaisers and some luke warm water.  There was no real "meat and potates" to this story.