Fence: Rivals

After the last volume ended with a cliffhanger, I thought something more explosive would happen between Jesse and Nicholas, but alas. The most interesting development is maybe the dynamic between Jesse ans Seiji.I wonder what happened between Jesse and Seiji to cause their fallout and for Seiji to deliberately attend a school Jesse wasn’t attending. I don’t want to compare Fence too much with the All For the Game series, but you all see it, right? There are a LOT of similarities here. Even if the story isn’t as gritty or intense as AFTG. Maybe both were inspired by sports manga and anime, but I’m not well versed in that genre at all.I think it’s fun that we get to see a new host of characters in this volume and we get to see a new setting. The boys get their first field trip and it’s to have a practice round with a rival school - MLC. This did feel kind of like an info dump of team fencing strategies and how the game is played, and I agree with the little drawing of Nicholas during all this that the rules are VERY confusing. I don’t understand the rules or the pointing system at all in the end, so I just went with it.Another thing I’m not understanding, and I think the comic isn’t conveying, is why there’s the official fencing team of 3 fencers + reserves, but there’s still everyone else who was at tryouts going to team practice and the practice match. Is it typical for everyone to go to attend practice and matches even if they’re not on the team, or is it a way to just show us characters who aren’t on the team to round out the story?Like, I want to know more about Bobby and Dante’s relationship too but I’m starting to feel like the volumes are too short to show me everything I want to know. And I’m getting a bit frustrated with the series as a whole. Adding to that, are we only getting one volume a year? Or are we even getting a volume a year? It’s hard to tell now that there’s no more individual scheduled issues coming out. I don’t even really know where to get more info on this series or how long this series is going to go. I love the characters, but it just seems a bit too drawn out and I feel like the wait is too long to keep people invested? I’m interested in what the novelization by Sarah Rees Brennan adds to the story and the characters because they seem to be coming out at a faster pace than the comics.Overall, I still love the characters, but I feel like the storyline is dragging too much when we consider the slow pace at which the volumes are being published.

Fence Vol. 4: Rivals is the latest graphic novel in the series by C.S. Pacat and Johanna the Mad featuring the fencing team in an all boys school. In this book, the boys learn what it means to fence as a team instead of as individuals as they face one of their rival schools in a practice match. Some new characters are introduced as the story expands beyond Kings Row.This series is SO GOOD!! Just a lot of fun and so many possible ships and so much tension because they all seem to be slow burn romances. I also think the artwork fits so well with the series. I keep thinking maybe I should hold off from reading new installments until the whole series is finished and then I'd see a snippet and that plan goes down the drain. I even bought the digital edition so I could read it right away because I couldn't hunt down a physical copy here in Singapore. I have no regrets though, because I kept laughing out loud while reading Fence Vol. 4 and it's definitely a best of 2020 title for me. As always, can't wait to read the next one.Highly recommended for graphic novel readers especially if you like team sports (although I still have zero clue about fencing), friendships and queer characters. I'm sure fans of Yuri on Ice and Check, Please will enjoy this series.

I can’t remember who said it on Instagram, but someone said they though Check Please! was a slow burn, and then they read the Fence series. It’s true. Four volumes in, and the emotional tension of the book is palpable, practically steaming off the page. Romance? Rivalry? I don’t know! But I’m excited to be on this journey for the past few years. This series follow a fencing team at a high school where Nicolas Cox starts to join the fencing team to prove himself to his estranged father and fencing champion. His ambitions are challenged when a fencing prodigy, Seiji, joins the school and becomes his roommate. This is an education in fencing and I’ve learned so much! But it’s also a book about family, and ambitions, and expectations, and so much more. I really love this series and I’m always excited to read the next volume. If you like graphic novels, comics, and have an inkling of emotion, check out Fence. ★★★★★ ◊ Paperback ◊ Graphic Novel, Comics ◊ Purchased online. ◊ Published June 30, 2020 by Boom Box!

Someone once told me that something I wrote was the slowest of burns. They loved it but it was a slow burn. I was annoyed and angry about that comment until I finished this volume today. I love this series but the slow burn is a SLOWBURN. I enjoy continuing to hang with these engaging characters, but gosh I could use some forward movement.

Literally it was perfect but I’m taking one star off because it needed to be longer. I want to keep reading about these characters and IM TIRED OF WAITING to find out what happens. So good though.

In volume 4 of Fence, the team is off to a practice tournament at their rival school. This is their first outing as a team.Will they succeed?

Fun and entertaining, the characters have great chemistry. Can't wait till September for the rest of their story. Seiko and Nicholas are great together.

i need more

This was delayed (understandably) for a couple of months but absolutely worth waiting for. Fantastic to see the character and relationship developments between all the characters (namely Jesse and Seiji's past, Seiji and Nicholas' current, Aiden and Harvard, and Bobby and Dante), and the art is lovely as usual.

So glad to be back with the boys at Kings Row. The story and characters and so diverse and loveable and hilarious and there is sooo much slow burn romance.I'm also super glad we got to see a bit more into Seiji & Jesse's relationship, as well as the developments in Nicholas and Seiji's 'friendship' 😍

I have been meaning to finish reading this for ages. And it was worth the wait. Loved it. 10 out of 10

Fantastic fourth edition to this blooming graphic series. The slow burn character romances have me excited for the future of the story!

I am totally obsessed with this whole series! I need more and I need it right now!!! 😍 Love it!