REVIEW: Saved By the Bell (Vol. 1) by Joelle Sellner, Chynna Clugston Flores, Tim Fish

Saved By the Bell by Joelle Sellner, Chynna Clugston Flores, Tim Fish
Series: Vol. 1
Published by Roar Comics on 1st July 2015
Pages: 112
Source: *Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

The classic TV series gets an update for today’s brand new high-schoolers as the coolest kids at Bayside High start their freshman year!

All your favorite characters – Zack, Slater, Kelly, Lisa, Screech and Jessie (and Mr. Belding, of course!) – are starting freshman year at Bayside High, trading in brick phones and mullets for iPhones and Twitter accounts. Does Lisa’s fashion show get on the air, and will Screech ever leave her alone? Will Jessie get that A+? And, most importantly, who’s Kelly going to go out with – preppy Zack or new star athlete A.C. Slater? It’s alright, ‘cause we’re saved by the bell! 

I have never watched Saved by the Bell, and only recently found out about it, so when I saw they produced a modern day graphic novel of the series, I was very excited to start reading it. However sadly, I just did not enjoy it like I had hoped. I think the cover, though a little cheesy, is brightly colourful and happy.

This graphic novel is made up of a series of short stories, each with one based on each main character. I believe the plot of them are set specifically towards each character.

I think for me, I was not able to connect with the characters like I had hoped mainly because I have never watched the series. I felt like this graphic novel is mainly aimed towards those whom watched this when they were growing up, and not to be taken seriously but instead to just take them back to their childhood.

This sadly meant, though I enjoyed some of the plots, I would not say I loved them. They were okay, cheesy and unoriginal, but okay; just nothing special. However, I really liked the artwork, it was really bright, colourful and fun which meant I was more addicted to the artwork than I was the plot and characters.

Sadly I just did not enjoy this graphic novel like I had hoped, but maybe someday I may just have to watch an episode of Saved by the Bell on Netflix.