- Posted by Johanna on April 14, 2012 at 4:04 pm
- Category: Indy Comic Reviews
- CREDITS: by Ted Naifeh
- PUBLISHER: Oni Press; $3.99 US
I haven't read any Courtney Crumrin for three years, so checking out this new series launch (in color!) was a welcome reminder of how much I enjoy the adventures of the ' what do we call her? Monster fighter? Young witch? Sorcerer in training? Anyway, her world is exciting to explore, as fueled by the demented imagination of Ted Naifeh.
I was impressed by how many twists he packs into this issue. I loved the design of new character Holly, a neighbor who moves in next to Courtney and her uncle. At first, I thought, 'oh, good, Courtney needs a friend as weird as she is.' But it's not that simple' which is the appeal of the stories Naifeh tells. Nothing is as it seems, and there's nothing either wholly good or evil.
The third-person narration shows us a Holly I could relate to, one who's very self-aware about how difficult it is to be the new kid. She looks like your typical geek girl, with dark pigtails and glasses, which may have contributed to why I was so sympathetic to her, but she reveals herself to be something other than a girl like me. That I was finding so much of myself and my friends in a fantasy story is another compliment to Naifeh. Many people have tried to do 'magic in the real world', but he is a master at it, with his very human characterizations.
One of the things Holly said made me think it would be a good idea to reread the Crumrin stories, to see if what she's referencing comes from earlier tales or is just a hint as to revelations to come. Yet I didn't feel left out; instead, I wanted more. That's a sign of a good launch. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.)
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