First in the planned six-book Adventures of the 19XX series, this alternate history is set in a version of the 1930s where magic, “dieselpunk” technology, and the supernatural intermingle. (After the first run of this comic sold out, Martinez printed this second edition by fundraising via Kickstarter.) As the story opens, a 14-year-old known as “The Kid” boards the airship Carpathia to join the 19XX, a secret organization working to combat “an evil gathering on the horizon,” as the Carpathia’s captain describes it. As the Carpathia races across the U.S. to secure allies and powerful artifacts, they do battle with members of the Order of the Black Faun, whose members include a sorcerer, a Prussian general whose spirit has been infused into a metal body, a voodoo queen, and an army of clones. Martinez’s artwork and overall vision have a cinematic energy and scope (Nikola Tesla and the ghost of Harry Houdini are among those lending help to the 19XX), and while the plotting and dialogue aren’t quite as dynamic, there’s plenty here to grab and hold readers’ attention. Ages 12–up. (BookLife)