In Bee and Puppycat #11, Puppycat has been acting a little strangely all holed up in his room behind a hole in the wall. Writer Patrick Seery shows a different side of the usually sassy and disaffect canine/feline hybrid as he gets sick, and in her usual scatterbrained way, Bee has no idea how to make him feel better or for him to take his cat pills. Luckily, supporting players Cardamom (Her incredibly mature for his age child landlord.) and Deckard (The super cute chef/boy-next-door.) are there to help her out as this issue focuses on the “girl” part of being Magical Girl.

One thing so refreshing about Bee as a character is how not-together her life is. Her favorite pastime is binge watching Pretty Patrick (A kitchen show/anime thing.), and she spends most of her grocery money on tasty treats instead of actual nutritious food. But Seery and artist Ji in Kim don’t pass judgment on her, but just shows these actions as a normal part of her life. What’s wrong with taking a break, eating cupcakes, and watching your favorite TV show? Also, Bee deeply cares about Puppycat, who is more of a roommate than a pet Also, woozy Puppycat is pretty hilarious, and there is a great line about Bee wondering what kind of medicine to give him because of his mixed physiology. (He’s adorable like a puppy, but standoffish like a cat.)

Ji in Kim’s cute, yet outrageous art style is a solid match for the Bee and Puppycat property. Their figures are pretty animation influenced, but they don’t skimp on the backgrounds, which especially pays off once Kim and Seery show us Puppycat’s cluttered bedroom. Also, they draw absolutely scrumptious cupcakes and donuts with a variety of colors that will make readers understand why Bee loves these foods so much. Kim uses sound effects to show just how bad off Puppycat is, and how self-conscious he feels about his illness until revealing his disheveled state later down the line. Matched with Warren Montgomery’s hand lettering, Ji in Kim’s work is easy to follow, adorable, and isn’t afraid of concealing its manga influences like conveying emotions through eye movement.

There isn’t much action in Bee and Puppycat #11 until the very end, and it’s not the sword swinging, magic blasting kind of the YouTube show, but this comic does a decent job tiding fans over until Cartoon Hangover decides to release more episodes. It’s nice to see a different side of Puppycat, and Ji in Kim’s artwork is quite charming. Seery creates a little romantic tension between Bee and Deckard, but unfortunately the final word on whether Bee actually likes him or likes his cooking will come in the show, not the comic.

Bee and Puppycat #11 won’t bring any new fans to the property (You should check out the show on YouTube if you have any interest in Magical Girl stories.), but it’s a passable diversion for fans who are already invested in the characters and a fun look into Bee’s life when she’s not off being a magical temp agency worker.

Story: Patrick Seery Art: Ji in Kim Letters: Warren Montgomery
Story: 6 Art: 8 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review