Parenthetical

The title implied D&D to me, but what I got was just as nerdily delicious. We open with Arthur King’s first day at Camelot Middle School. Yes, really — and the King Arthur puns don’t stop here! For a kid who’s newly familiar with King Arthur and/or the idea of literary allusion, it will feel like a fun secret code, but for someone who isn’t, the Arthuriana won’t be a hindrance.

Anyway, hapless Artie just wants to be good at something. Unfortunately he immediately runs afoul of the school thugs, known as the Horde — who also happen to be the champion dodgeball team. Through a series of misadventures involving a pet tarantula and a legendary locker that will only open for the destined leader of the school, Artie and his new fellow-geek friends end up challenging the Horde to a dodgeball game. The stakes are high: social cred, and the job of their favorite teacher, Mr. Merlyn.

The heroes are hard not to love, especially pitifully macho Wayne, who won’t let fellow geek Gwen join the team because she’s a girl. His harebrained scheme to hire a dodgeball “mercenary” (“In a video game, when you’re stuck, what do you do?”) backfires hilariously. And of course, there’s Mr. Merlyn (who is also kind of hot — what’s with me and comic book authority figures?):

Mr. M, arching one eyebrow halfway up his head and pointing dramatically: “There comes a time when like-minded fellows gather together to chart their destiny. Some call it fate. Others call it luck. All I know is that you three were sent here for a reason.”

Artie: “Really?”

Wayne: “I knew it!”

Percy: “And that is?”

Mr. M: “DETENTION! Now, be quiet and eat.”

My only objection is that when they win the dodgeball game (as you know they must), they kind of do it by cheating: Artie shows Percy’s tarantula to the leader of the Horde, who freaks out and accidentally hits the principal on the head with the ball, thus getting himself kicked out of the game. Artie found the tarantula in his magical locker, which gives him whatever he needs at the moment. I was disappointed, because I wanted their own abilities to win the day somehow. Gwen does turn out to be a dodgeball ringer, and her kicking the bullies’ asses would have been a satisfying ending for me, but that’s not what happens — they still need the magical locker tarantula. (Have you heard of my new band?)

That said, the dialogue and characters are believable and funny; the colorful, cartoony art is endearing; and everybody loves a story of geeks making good. I look forward to the next adventure of the Knights of the Lunch Table!

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