With books like Rocket Raccoon killing it in sales, fun is thankfully doing well in contemporary comics. A shining example of this is Lumberjanes, a painfully cute and colorful book about kick-ass gals at a Scouts camp. Not only is it nice to see a book with a main cast of strong girls, but it’s also nice to see a creative team so full of women, with Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis on writing and Brooke Allen on art. The latest issue continues to impress, with its lovable characters and wholesome entertainment. Lumberjanes #5 keeps up the endearing fun, complete with dinosaurs, arts and crafts, and big, dumb friendship.
Like past issues, #5 offers a pretty standalone story that still manages to add to the larger plot at hand. Lots of easily digestible joy can be found here, like the spunky Riley getting herself impossibly tangled up in fabric while the girls were crafting friendship bracelets. Just about every nugget of comedy is simultaneously charming, prompting constant smiles. Engaging action is all over the place in this issue, this one focusing on a pack of dinosaur’s attack on the camp. There aren’t existential issues at hand in Lumberjanes, just great fun.
The art is very important for the kind of book this is, and Allen’s work, aided tremendously by Maarta Liaho’s gorgeous, explosive coloring, is excellent. The finely-done facial expression and body language here are key to much of the adorable comedy in Lumberjanes. From Riley’s face seemingly imploding with excitement to see dinosaurs, to April’s goofy showboating posture, it works wonders. The action looks more than good, with a dynamic and exciting sense of movement.
The structure of Lumberjanes is interesting, as an eight-issue miniseries that tells a larger story through smaller ones. This makes it an easy read every month (assuming no delays, which sadly happen) while still dangling a carrot to keep going. Sometimes, however, the overarching plot comes off as a tad convoluted and overly ambiguous. It’s good stuff that begs to be pondered, even though something a little simpler would work better for this book. #5 does nothing to change this, with little bits of answers that make way for even more questions.
At the end of the day, Lumberjanes emerges as a spiffy comic book deserving of attention. It’s all about pure fun and good vibes, and does such an excellent job of maintaining that atmosphere. Read this series and crack a smile.
Story: Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis Art: Brooke Allen
Story: 8.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read
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BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
