“With this fiction, [Ennis] does a remarkable service to women's history. There are other books about the Night Witches, but none could possibly be this much fun…. Braun and Aviña's work is downright glorious. Scenes of ferocious dogfights, with planes peppered by bullets or exploding in midair, are as gripping as they are beautiful. Back on the ground, Braun draws people with formal precision and an almost frozen quality that makes every panel iconic. Aviña's colors are gorgeously versatile, ranging from subtly enameled tones for the people to flat, bright hues for the action in the sky.” —Etelka Lehoczky on NPR

“Based on a real Soviet WWII-era, all-women flight regiment, this cinematic, decade-spanning graphic novel follows one pilot as she faces down snickering from her commanding officers, battles Nazis in the air, mourns lost friends and comrades, and suffers through Stalin’s draconian policies around captured Soviet soldiers. Ennis has clearly researched the history, including technical language about planes, troop movements, and so on, but lest this become a dry piece of military history, he focuses the story tightly on Anna, whose growth, setbacks, and triumphs drive the story forward through three distinct chapters, in which she struggles to balance her own fierce independence with stalwart loyalty to her comrades and country. That character growth expands to secondary figures as well; instead of a typical good-versus-evil story, Ennis offers a narrative invested in individuals making the most of dire situations in wartime. The suspenseful fight scenes focus tightly on the planes, and the realistic art style might please history buffs looking for some semblance of accuracy. An afterword helpfully sifts fiction from the already thrilling facts about Soviet women pilots.” —Booklist

“Those who know Ennis as a creator of off-the-wall, black-humored, and hilariously obscene twists on the usual superhero or SF tropes may be surprised to see his more serious side on display in these three tales of WWII, based upon true events, in which Soviet airfighter Anna Borisnova Kharkova faces off against German enemies, strict military decorum, macho chauvinism, and petty vindictiveness. The character is fictional but based upon the history of the Night Witches, the female Soviet flyers. The artwork by Braun eschews superman proportions for a characteristic look of realism that adeptly distinguishes different characters. He provides a sweeping sense of action across panels to evoke the dynamism of battle…. Anna’s saga and eventual triumph of spirit are rewarding. This is equal parts a sharp and enthralling history lesson and a powerful and touching graphic novel.” —Publishers Weekly

“Here's a very interesting read for Women's History Month, a fascinating graphic novel based on true events and real woman pilots in the USSR during WWII... The stories are powerful, very graphic, with lots of adult language and situations. But they show how Soviet women sacrificed to proved their worth.” —WTBF-AM/FM

“From the beginning of The Night Witches you are taken into an exhilarating journey. These are the real-life Super girls, Wonder Women of the world….. A genius of an illustrated story…. The Night Witches is a throat punching reality check into the spoils of WW2. Your bookshelf is hungry for this entertaining read with its colorful imagery and dramatic illustrations along with the superb writing from Garth Ennis. He writes with a descriptive flow as if you are there with the Night Witches and you can feel the adventure, struggles and the strengths from within these pages. The psychology from his style of writing is an accuracy which is paramount. This book is highly recommended for comic readers, history, military enthusiasts and book collectors, alike.” —Anything Geek Culture

2019's top Russia-related books. “The women who flew Soviet biplanes in extremely risky missions against the Nazis are already a historic legend, but this graphic novel approaches that history from a new angle. First, it depicts the life of a single 'Night Witch' visually, putting readers in the hands of two veterans in the world of comics. Second, it explores the complications of standing (or flying) between the Nazis and the threat of Soviet repressions, complicating a narrative that tends to be purely patriotic.” —Meduza

“The Night Witches is a very impressive book. The story’s main character is Lieutenant Anna Kharkova, once a naive teenager, who grows into a hardened combat WWII veteran for the Soviet air force. The glory and the pain of war are brought to life by the legendary team of Garth Ennis and Russ Braun.” —Comics Grinder

“The art is excellent. It's realistic and appealing in character designs in a way that makes the read more enjoyable. But what really impressed and wowed me was the planes in battle. The dogfights and instances where they avoid ground-to-air weaponry are amazing. The scenes leap off the page with an energy similar to watching it! The coloring is also exceptional. Dark scenes are clearly defined while maintaining true nighttime darkness. Daytime scenes are bright and beautiful, wonderfully at odds with the horror of war. This is a must-read. I'd say it's for high school and up, given some of what's depicted, but it's history we need to know, and this creative team does it more than justice. Even if war stories aren't normally your thing, this bit of women in history should be.” —Sequential Tart  

“I thoroughly enjoyed The Night Witches graphic novel. It was engaging, story-driven, and incredibly drawn. This is also a graphic novel that can get rather graphic at times. It certainly doesn’t pull any punches and paints war for what it is—a brutal nasty monster of a thing. But at the same time, the creators of The Night Witches also paint an accurate picture of the other side of war, the human side.”—GeekDad

“The Night Witches is superbly done, but please note that it is also very realistic. War is no joke, as this work makes very, very clear.... In addition to a great plot, the artwork beautifully supports the text, and gives immediacy to the story. A brilliant work, highly recommended.” —Historical Novel Society

“The Night Witches is beautifully written and illustrated – by the very talented Russ Braun. It truly is moving, horrifying and funny; and that makes it very real. The Night Witches really is a must for anyone who appreciates a story that draws strongly on historic and universal truths. Courage will never go out of fashion, not even in our fake social media world…. A great achievement indeed.” —Hellbound.ca

“The Night Witches knows how to reel readers in.” —Comicon.com

“The Night Witches is … fascinating and engaging. Through the fictional Anna Kharkova, this creative team have brought to life an amazing part of history that should not be forgotten. This comic serves as a good introduction to the Night Witches and this portion of the Second World War that often gets glossed over in American history and fiction, and hopefully it will spur people to go further and learn about these brave pilots who defy sexism and erasure even today.” —The Fandom Post

“I recommend this graphic novel if you are a fan of military history, aviation, or interested in learning about women during wartime.” —Red-Haired Ash Reads

“The Night Witches is beautifully illustrated, and the storyline will draw the reader in. A very well done piece of historical fiction.” —Evilcyclist's Bookshelf

“War is brutal—it’s something that should not be forgotten. This graphic novel did not sugarcoat it; as well it shouldn’t. It is bloody and graphic and depressing. But it tells a story based in history that is not so well known.” —Paola, a not-so-wicked which

“If you like your graphic novels/comics long and full of history, have I got a recommendation for you! The Night Witches is a graphic history of one of the most fascinating groups in World War II, the Russian lady pilots who flew clunkers of bombers at night with no guides against the Nazis. I have read more than one historical fiction book about them, and it was super cool to see the story unfold through some really stellar artwork.” —SheReadsTales

“If a classic graphic novel shaped up war as an opportunity to fight the good fight, the creators of The Night Witches add a layer of realistic detail and suggest that this fight is never easy, and that casualties are real…. An intriguing, gritty story.” —Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics

“Graphic novels often appear in segmented installments, but I felt this formatting allowed me to understand and appreciate Anna’s character development in a way I wouldn’t have if I’d been forced to track down each of the stories independently.” —Historical Fiction Reader

“The Night Witches is the fictional account of a female Soviet pilot during World War II. This book is not fodder for the lighthearted; it’s graphic in its depiction of World War II atrocities and the brutalities of the Soviet government…. The book is grounded in actual events and pays tribute to women’s achievements in the face of discrimination and incompetent leadership.” —The Fandom Post / Keepin' It In Canon ... Mostly