My wife and I play the Girl Genius card game, though up until recently I have known little of the background story. One day, curious, I looked it up and found this volume and ordered it. Before I was finished, I was already in love with Agatha. This volume gives little of the flavor of the full story that folds over the next 5+ volumes, but it does give insight into a richly imagined world.

In some ways, it is a very common story. There is a student who seems not particularly good at anything, though the reader is made aware early own that there is more than meets the eye. There is a university where she learns, that seems to be taking part in caring for her and hiding something of a secret. There is a mysterious set of events in her past, and her family's past. She has an "item of power" that is taken and sets gears into motion. She meets a guy she both despises and admires at the same time.

Somehow, though, the Foglios have found an excellent way to balance the "steam-punk", the cliche story line, and the relatively small beginnings of a comic that are meant to hint at things to come in a way to come up with something that feels fresh and, more importantly, fun.

If you are thinking about ordering this volume, by the way, I recommend getting the next couple as well. It reads fast and I assure you that you are going to want more.

I love the art and the airships definitely need to be looked at. The age of steam and invention captured here is great, but if you're looking for a 'steam punk' setting this is not it. The title is certainly worthy to own, but doesn't have the darker aspects that would go with a true 'steam punk' setting. Otherwise, if you're looking for a great work, look no further!

Agatha Clay is a young woman with a mysterious past. She lives in a world complicated by Sparks (think mad scientists with the ability to create devices and living things that bend or break the known laws of science) and ruled by Baron Wulfenbach, a Spark who conquered Europe to stop the chaos. Agatha's doesn't know her origin or about her imminent Sparkhood. When a mugging and theft allows her talents to break loose without warning, all hell begins to break loose, too.

Girl Genius is beautifully drawn and wonderfully manic. Its characters are human, animal, robotic (called Clanks), and artificial biological constructs. The huge story includes Agatha, the Baron and his son Gilgamesh (himself a developing spark), the King of Cats, Jagermonsters, pirates, the most fearsome nanny in the known universe, a traveling circus, Translyvania Polygnostic University, various monsters, and Punch and Judy. The backstory underlying it is fascinating, imaginative, and enormously detailed. The villains are not totally evil, and the good have their dark sides, but don't take any of it too seriously. This is comedy that is both broad and pointed, and it works beautifully.

This comic is a whacko masterpiece of adventure, romance, and discovery. After fifty years of reading all sorts of comics, this is now my all-time favorite.

Great characters set in a wondeful universe! I was overjoyed reading through it and puzzling out the world history, dropped in a way that wasn't heavyhanded but left me enough clues to keep me interested and moving forward. Agatha is great hero and seeing her evolve is really entertaining.

Agatha Clay goes to Transylvania Polygnostic University as a student. But not a good one - she has trouble concentrating and bad luck. While she is a hard worker she never ends up with anything that seems to work - she doesn't have the spark of a Mad Scientist within. But when the University (and city of Beetleburg) is overthrown and a strange clank (robot) roams the streets is looks like SHE might be the one who designed it.
Bonus stand-alone short story in the copy I had.