A young boy and his friends face a familiar foe.This third installment after Nico Bravo and the Cellar Dwellers (2020) jumps right back in, following Nico and his friends Lula the sphinx and Buck the unicorn, who were sent by Vulcan, Nico's de facto caregiver, to save the unicorn colony. The unicorns are ensorcelled by a strange domed machine controlling their minds. Vulcan seems to have his own mysterious motives for sending the trio away. He is on trial for using the enigmatic substance Aether and is sent on a quest to retrieve five mystical artifacts; if he fails, he'll be found "in violation of the cosmic code." Nico and Vulcan quickly discover that their missions are not what they seem. The pernicious god Ahriman reappears at Vulcan's trial-could he be behind Nico and Vulcan's collective troubles? While the plot rockets along, those seeking a richer experience won't find much information about myriad gods name-dropped, nor will readers who are looking for deeper character development find much here; this has all the panache of a cinematic blockbuster. Still, Cavallaro's romp delightfully ties together its multiple narrative threads with its blazingly hued full-color art, zippy wordless sequences, and high-octane action. Nico and Vulcan appear White, and a group shot of humans shows a range of skin tones; deities represented are culturally diverse and include representatives from ancient Mesopotamia, Iran, and Mesoamerica.A satisfying installment. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)

Gr 3–6— In this third installment of the "Nico Bravo" series, Vulcan sends Buck, Nico, and Lula to help the unicorn colony in Agaartha. Turns out that's just cover for something major: Vulcan must stand trial in front of the gods. If Vulcan doesn't collect and return five ancient artifacts, the gods will strip him of his powers and possessions. Worst of all, Ahriman (god of evil) will take Nico. Meanwhile, Nico's pretty confident about his own mission, but—"Great Gula's ghosts!"—further disaster is brewing. Awesome fight sequences, imaginative onomatopoeia, and nonstop hilarity make for a brightly colored, fast-paced saga. The multiple side quests converge in a pretty epic—and off-the-wall—overarching plot that introduces more magical creatures and deities than ever before. Vulcan has brown skin; Nico's is pale. VERDICT Another on-brand entry in this fun, melting pot of mythologies. Can be read out of order.