Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Binge Read, boom box, boom studios, Brooke Allen, Comics, entertainment, Grace Ellis, Lumberjanes, Maarta Laiho, Noelle Stevenson

Meeting The Team – A Binge Read Catch Up Of Lumberjanes: Part One

I've mentioned before that doing these binge reads has been an excellent way to broaden my horizons and discover new comics. However, this past week I had a similar experience to my first binge read eye opener. If you recall, my first binge read took place because I discovered The Woods from BOOM! Studios. It was a series that I saw multiple times, but never got around to picking up. Well, this week I stumbled upon Lumberjanes from BOOM! Box, an imprint of BOOM! Studios, written by Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis, with art by Brooke Allen, and colors by Maarta Laiho. When I glanced at the cover of the new issue I noticed that they were twelve issues in, but I was up for the challenge! I decided to break my binge read into two parts, and you have stumbled upon Part One where I will discuss issues #1-6.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the series, Lumberjanes takes place at an all girls summer camp, and centers in on a group of best friends and their adventures. Now, that might sound plain and simple, but trust me, it's not! This isn't your ordinary all girls camp. No, Lumberjane Scout Camp is filled with tons of mythical surprises and supernatural creatures. At the center of it all there is a strong theme of friendship, which is enjoyable to watch. When I finished reading issue #1, I felt a little deflated, but curious. Being introduced to this colorful group of characters was fun, but I wanted to know more. I always struggle at first when there are a lot of character names to remember, so I actually wrote all of the girls names down on a piece of paper and used their hair color to distinguish who was who.

At the top of the camp chain there's Rosie who is the boss of everyone and everything. Then there's Jen, who is the group of main characters camp counselor and all around tightly wound woman. The group of main characters consist of: Ripley, April, Molly, Jo, and Mal. Together, they make quite the team. The first couple issues might lead you to believe that there won't be an overarching storyline, but rest assured, there is. Stevenson and Ellis write some light and fun plot points in the beginning, but as the issues progress things begin to unfold in a much more complex way. For example, even though most of the first issue is spent with the girls hoping they won't be in trouble for staying out all night, the third issue focuses on the group getting stuck in a cave filled with mysterious puzzles. Their only way out is to arm wrestle a talking statue, which April does wonderfully.

I have to say that out of the first six issues, I enjoyed the fifth one the most. There's something about a bunch of dinosaurs coming out of the bathroom attacking the entire camp, that just keeps you on the edge of your seat! Am I right? The arc ends with a cliffhanger, leaving us wondering if Jo really has magical powers or not. I have to say, the addition of Diane's character made things a bit more interesting in that regard. Overall, Stevenson and Ellis' script is on point, filled with fun, friendship, and some bizarre instances thrown into the mix. So far this comic has kept me highly entertained. I must mention that Brooke Allen's artwork is the reason I picked up this comic in the first place. I was immediately drawn to the characters design and the overall quirky style. Now, I know I'm late to the Lumberjanes game, but I'm happy to be on board. Look for part two of my binge read of issues #7 through the most recent release of #12.

Christine Marie is a Staff Writer at Bleeding Cool, and bibliomaniac with a love for all things creative. She hopes to one day be a Superhero/Disney Princess/Novelist. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @AWritersWay or on her blog writerchristinemarie.wordpress.com.

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