Compass South

In 1860, twelve-year-old twins Alexander and Cleopatra Dodge head to San Francisco, planning to con a wealthy man into believing they're his long-lost twin sons. On the way, they meet another set of redheaded twins with the same idea. A variety of panel sizes keeps the pace brisk in this rollicking graphic novel series-opener, and plenty of tantalizing questions remain.

It's 1860. Twelve-year-old twins Alexander and Cleopatra Dodge's father disappears, leaving them alone; the siblings survive the New York City streets by stealing for the Black Hook gang. After a run-in with the police, they decide to head to San Francisco for a fresh start, planning to con a wealthy man into believing they are his long-lost twin sons. But on the way, Alex and "Pat" run into Silas and Edwin, another set of redheaded twins with the same idea. Alex and Silas get kidnapped onto one steamer, set to round Cape Horn to California; Pat and Edwin stow away on another. Forced to rely on each other in order to reunite with their own siblings, the now mixed-up pairs slowly develop trust and friendship. In the meantime, Alex and Silas face pirates and storms; Pat and Edwin make a dangerous trek through the Panama jungle after hastily disembarking. And the Black Hook gang is in pursuit, after the Dodge twins' family heirlooms...which, it turns out, may conceal directions to a hidden treasure. With two sets of red-haired, freckled, similarly dressed, and occasionally similar-sounding twins as main characters, it can be a bit difficult to keep track of who's who. But thrill-seekers likely won't mind: this graphic novel series-opener captures all the rollicking action of a Robert Louis Stevenson sea adventure -- with the welcome additions of a capable female protagonist and several fully realized secondary characters of color. A variety of panel sizes keeps the pace brisk while allowing for the occasional pause to set the scene or linger in an emotional moment. Plenty of tantalizing questions remain, setting up another exciting adventure. katie bircher