Title: A Hardy Day's Night
Series: Hardy Boys Undercover Brothers Graphic Novel
Author: Scott Lobdell
Release Date: November 13, 2007
Publisher: Papercutz
Purchase: Since this book is out of print, you can keep your eyes out on it in your local secondhand bookstore, used Amazon, or Better World Books. Or, check if your local public library has it.
Add it on Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis from Goodreads:
In this change of pace adventure, Frank and Joe Hardy discover a rogue mentor agent within A.T.A.C. (American Teens Against Crime) -- when that agent tries to kill them! But it's soon discovered he was being manipulated by malevolent forces who kidnapped his child -- and now the Hardy Boys have only until dawn to find the man's son!
My Review:
I still can't believe I finally got my hands on this Hardy Boys graphic novel! I swear, with the cover looking so damned intriguing, I've been dying for this particular Hardy Boys graphic novel since, like, forever! 😠I kept my eyes out on it in used Amazon, but unfortunately, with no luck. The prices were either too expensive for a used book or not available at all. Then finally, one day, after recently discovering Better World Books (https://www.betterworldbooks.com/), "a global online bookseller that collects and sells new and used books online", I found myself looking this particular Hardy Boys graphic novel up... and you can imagine my excitement when I found it! 😠Sure, the price Better World Books offered for it may not have been the best, but it was quite acceptable.
This installment of the Hardy Boys graphic novel series, A Hardy Day's Night, follows Frank and Joe as they discover a dishonest mentor agent within ATAC when he tried to kill them. Soon, they find out that he was actually being threatened by the bad guys, who kidnapped his son! I found that to be such a great example of how fear can reveal one's true colors!
I loved how despite the dangers, the boys went out of their way to save the man's son, and I absolutely loved the smart plan they came up with! I swear it's like they read my mind as I thought of it. 😉 Their plan explains the intriguing cover of this graphic novel. You'll have to read it to find out! Definitely the Hardys I know and love, who step up to do good despite the dangers involved.
Okay, so I'm not gonna lie, but as I was reading it, I did feel like some parts were a little slow, as the Hardys were searching the old hotel for the kidnapped boy. It's probably just me... as I'm someone who doesn't read graphic novels often.
Also, when I think about it, I do agree with my HB/ND reading friend, Ann, that after the Hardys have disarmed a bad guy, they should have kept the weapon with them, instead of tossing it aside with the risk of the other bad guys, kidnappers, etc. finding it and reloading it. As she said, they should have used it to bluff the bad guys. Good point, Ann! (Check out her review here)
Fenton, the father of the Hardy Boys, shows us a great example of the length a father would go to save his sons. Loved it! I also loved his smart comebacks to the bad guy who took him.
Finally, as I was reading it, I thought I'd give it a 4.5 with some parts being a little slow... but in the end, I felt like it deserved 5 stars for how in-character Frank and Joe have been in this installment. For instance, the brother teamwork as usual, and the fact they'd step up to do the right thing despite the dangers involved, of course.
To be honest, I was a little nervous about reading it at first as I'm someone who usually has fear of ending up not loving books I've been excited for, but I'm so glad I loved this Hardy Boys graphic novel that I've been wanting to read forever, despite some slow parts!
Overall, I found A Hardy Day's Night to be such a cute story, and I really adored the heartwarming ending. 🥺
I would read it again sometime in future.