Canto vol 2.5 and 3.5 by david m. Booher

​Vol 2.5: City of Giants, and 3.5: Tales of the Unnamed World, illustrated by Drew Zucker, colored by Vittorio Astone
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This volume collects two short adventures of Canto and his friends, which come between some of the other volumes. The first is City of Giants, which happens in between volumes two and three, where Canto travels to the titular city to try and gain the support of the giants in the fight against the Shrouded man. In order to gain their trust, Canto must first solve a labyrinth outside the city, which includes fighting some fierce monsters. In the second side story, Tales of the Unnamed World, Canto and his friends find their way barred by a Bard, who requires, as toll, a story he has never heard before. Canto and his group each take turns telling their best stories, but they're all ones the Bard has heard before! This story takes place after volume three of the published stories.

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I'm really hoping for a hardback collected edition when this story gets to a point to withstand that, as these stories being published out of order might confuse a lot of readers. Regardless, I'm glad to have City of Giants finally in a form that compliments library circulation. Each side-story adds to the legend that is Canto's adventure, and with them, Booher finds more ways to bring classic fantasy stories into his world. With this volume, we have The Labyrinth, as well as the trope of a Bridge Troll. I liken this often to Monty Python, which might be a reference lost on younger readers. Zucker and Booher continue to bring more elements into this rich fantasy that make the story timeless and appealing for a wide range of audiences.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 5-12

Reviews of previous volumes in this series: ​vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

Publisher: IDW Publishing
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781684059362 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 10/10, Suitability: Elementary School, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Comicbooks, Fantasy, IDW