Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Fence Book One, a new book collecting the first 12 issues of this comic. I’ve been wanting to pick up the comic since I read the novelization years ago, and this was the perfect opportunity to do it. Did I enjoy it? Read on to find out!

Queer sports drama meets elite private school stakes in this critically acclaimed series!

Scrappy fencer Nicholas Cox has big dreams of following in the footsteps of the father he’s never known, but when he’s accepted into the elite King’s Row private school, he’s thrust into a world of cutthroat competition. Facing down privileged rivals, grueling tryouts, and the seemingly unbeatable Seiji Katayama, Nicholas discovers that it will take more than determination to prove himself worthy of a place on the team.

Experience the first three volumes of the breakout hit series written by bestselling author C.S. Pacat and brought to life by fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad!

Collects Fence #1-12.

***Thank you to BOOM! Studios for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

Fence has been around for a while now. So, I don’t know what I can say that hasn’t already been said a thousand times. However, I really loved this new collected volume, and it was the perfect way to experience the story for the first time. The publisher chose a natural stopping point that allowed enough space to set up the overall story without becoming unwieldy.

As for the story itself, it was really great. I loved all the actual fencing material in it, and I feel like I learned so much about the sport. The focus on the tournament to determine the fencing team was a smart choice because it immediately brought stakes to the story. The characters had a surprising amount of depth, as well, which I’ve found can be lacking in some graphic novels. Nicholas and Seiji, especially, felt so well-rounded with a good amount of time spent to introducing the quirks of their personalities and backgrounds. Their rivalry was fun to explore, and I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops in future installments of the story.

Even the side characters in Fence had a great deal of depth. Aiden was potentially my favorite, and I was surprised by how much his playboy persona was already stripped back a bit in these first 12 issues. I also really loved how his queerness and the queerness of some other characters was handled. There was no tip toeing around it. Queer people just existed in this world like it was no big deal, which was fantastic.

I did expect a bit more focus on romance in Fence, though. Maybe it will come later in the series? I don’t know. It’d be great if some of the heated rivalries turned into romance. Based on what I vaguely remember from the novelization, I think there might be some sort of romantic entanglement between Nicholas and Seiji eventually, which would probably work really well. There was a lot of tension there. lol.

All in all, Fence Book One was a great beginning to this fencing team’s story. It kept me hooked on the rounds of the tournament even though most of the results were pretty obvious from the start. I adored the characters, the rivalries, and the incredibly engaging art. So, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Fence Book One by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad, and Joana Lafuente. Have you read these comics? I know they are well-loved, and now I understand why. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!