Note: Thank you to Howard Shapiro for providing a complimentary copy of “Hockey Karma… for this article. My opinions are honest and strictly my own.
The graphic novel “Hockey Karma… by Howard Shapiro is the final instalment of the “Forever Friends… trilogy and is being released today, November 1st. Illustrated and colored by Andres Mossa of “Spiderman…, “Deadpool… and “The Avengers… comic book fame, the graphics set the tone of the novel and help to portray the raw emotion of the protagonists, fading hockey superstar Jeremiah “Jake… Jacobson and agent/ best friend Tom Leonard.
Jake and Tom are faced with difficult decisions as they prepare for the next stage in their lives. Jake struggles to accept his diminishing health and that his hockey team, the Bay City Blades are no longer his team. That there is always someone younger and stronger ready to take your place. His addiction to painkillers such as Oxy is very relevant considering the drug has been the flavor du jour amongst athletes and young adults. As is often the case, the road to recovery must begin with oneself and Shapiro does not shy away from the emotional toll that addiction and depression can have on loved ones as well.
Tom realizes that the end is near for Jake and desperately wants to make a positive impact on his community. However, he knows that he cannot do it alone and depends on Jake’s involvement for it to become a reality. While their friendship is tested by Jake’s stubbornness and irritability, Tom realizes the great physical and psychological pain that his best friend is suffering from and does not give up on him.
The support cast of strong female characters was a pleasant surprise in “Hockey Karma…. Jake’s supportive wife Felicity puts the health of her family first and is as much a friend to Tom as is her husband. The head coach of the Blades is Emma Schell whose father was previously Jake’s coach. In speaking with Shapiro, the character of Emma was inspired by basketball’s San Antonio Spurs Assistant Coach Beckie Hammon as “I wanted to have a real strong character to put Jake in his place and I liked the dynamic between Emma and him…. Through an exchange with Tom’s friend and high school crush Jaelithe, a journalist, the reality of being the first female head coach of a men’s professional team in hockey is addressed and portrayed in what felt as very real and honest. By having this open exchange about women in sports, it brings a relevant topic to the forefront in a manner that will make quite understandable to readers, especially adolescent boys who may not be aware of issues such as wage equality. For Shapiro, “Emma became the character I developed to bring that issue to the forefront.….
While “Hockey Karma… was read as a stand alone novel, it did take a little time to familiarize myself with the characters and become invested in their fates. It likely would have helped to have read at least the second book of the trilogy, “Hockey Saints… beforehand. One does not need to be a fan of hockey to enjoy the book as the themes of friendship, addiction, love and self-confidence can appeal to everyone on many levels. Hockey is one of the greatest spectator sports and the graphics capture the physicality and beauty of the game. Shapiro suggests a reader age of 14+ although a mature 12 to 13 year old would likely enjoy it. The format of a graphic novel could be especially appealing towards “reluctant readers….
There are indeed darker themes in the story but for Shapiro “one of the things I have tried to do throughout the books that I've done is try to challenge the reader/audience. That and not pander to the reader/audience… My thought has always been to be different in that I wanted to talk about tough subjects to kids in a real world way. Not through metaphors or silliness but in a real world way and hope that they were not only entertained but also given something to think about or ask the adults in their lives questions they may have from reading one of my books.… Shapiro certainly accomplishes this goal with “Hockey Karma….
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