Posted in: Comics, Review | Tagged: adventure, Ayme Sotuyo, boom box, boom studios, fantasy, Kat Leyh, Lumberjanes, Maarta Laiho, Shannon Watters
Lumberjanes #47 Review: A Cute and Endearing Adventure Comic
The Lumberjanes learn what happened to Emmy from Rocky. A tornado manifested from nowhere and took Emmy away. Jen and the others leave to find her. This leads the Lumberjanes into a confrontation with a seemingly sentient tornado for the fate of Emmy.
This is my first experience with Lumberjanes, and — I have to say — I wasn't expecting the large speaking bird, the one-eyed projector cow, or the basilisk.
It's also a comic aiming for an audience younger than I, so keep that in mind throughout this review.
Lumberjanes #47 is a cute and quirky comic centered around a summer camp and the friendship of the young women partaking in it. Clearly, things have escalated in the 47 installments, given that creatures out of Greek mythology are now among their number.
This issue doesn't convey the personalities of any of their members outside of Jen and Emmy. This is forgivable given how large the cast is and that this is the 47th issue of the comic.
Jen and Emmy are endearing characters though, and they can carry the book. Emmy is a gung-ho cowgirl with a thirst for adventure, and Jen is a cautious leader figure looking out for the rest of the group.
The plot itself is weird and endearing. The sentient tornado is made empathetic (as odd as that may sound) and the plot is driven by the group's concern and compassion for one another.
It doesn't waste time trying to explain its internal logic, and this is to its benefit. Doing so would weigh down the energy and enchantment of its narrative.
On the other hand, there is never any real tension. Even when the group learns that Emmy has been sucked up by a twister, there's never a moment spent to consider that her fate may already be out of their hands. Admittedly, this is a comic focused on fun and friendship, but a lack of tension does leave the main thrust of the plot lackluster and less exciting than it could be.
Ayme Sotuyo's artwork is cute and stylized, and it is well suited to the high energy and optimism of the comic. It's an aesthetic not too far removed from anime chibi work, and the animals are given a unique flare of their own. Maarta Laiho's color work wavers towards bright and rustic tones without much gradience. Plain shades are used, and this too suits the comic well.
Lumberjanes #47 is not my general cup of tea, but it's a cute and endearing read with plenty of positivity and fun for the audience that it aims for. The characters are charming, the art is solid, and I can recommend it. Give it a read if this is your jam.