Love Lumberjanes? Give These Comics a Try!
Lumberjanes, vol. 1. Brooke Allen
Who doesn’t love the hard-core lady-types at Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s camp?
Lumberjanes is one of the most popular comics out there right now, and for good reason. Whether sparring with three-eyed foxes, battling sea serpents, or decoding mysterious messages, our heroines consistently kick butt. And they’re thoughtful and smart and hilarious to boot.
If you’re all caught up on single issues or you’re saving yourself for the next trade paperback, here are a few suggestions to feed the fire Lumberjanes hath lit.
Princeless by Jeremy Whitley (writer), M. Goodwin (art), Jung-Ha Kim and Dave Dwonch (letters)
Why wait for a prince to come rescue you when you can do it yourself? Princess Adrienne is spunky and strong-willed, with a wry sense of humor; the woman warrior costume versus warrior woman armor scene is the BEST! This send-up of traditional princess stories is fresh and original—and it’s already two volumes in, so you’ll have plenty to keep you entertained. Like Lumberjanes, it appeals both to a younger crowd and to grown-ups without trying too hard to be clever or slyly wicked. Yet the humor is on point. I love it!
Giant Days by John Allison (creator/writer), Lissa Treiman (art), Whitney Cogar (colors), Jim Campbell (letters)
Think “Lumberjanes goes to college.” Susan, Esther, and Daisy haven’t been at university very long, but their shenanigans are already in full swing. There are mysterious guys from the past, embarrassing cafeteria accidents, and the eternal struggle to understand one’s friends (and oneself)–and that’s all in the first issue! Giant Days is a fun and snarky story about everything you leave behind—and everything that catches up with you—when you step into the next stage of young adulthood.
Gotham Academy by Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher (writers); Karl Kerschl (art); Geyser, Dave McCaig, John Rauch, Msassyk, and Serge Lapointe (colors); and Steve Wands (letters)
From the beginning, I was sucked into Olive’s story. What happened to her mother? Why can’t she remember her summer?? And what is going on around campus??? The art in Gotham Academy is absolutely breathtaking. I love the aerial shots where we see multiple characters in different places; it’s almost like the scenes are dissected and the narrative is revealed in one full-page spread. And the lettering! I’m a sucker for gorgeous handwriting, and this may be my favorite yet. Gotham Academy is also a serious discussion of what it’s like to be a teen and face the unexpected and unexplained loss of a parent, all amid the tumult of school politics and romantic relationships.
Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Adrian Alphona (art), and Takeshi Miyazawa (art)
If you’re looking for a comic that’s been around for a while and has several volumes to race through, Runaways is a great place to start. The series focuses on teens (and one pre-teen) who discover their parents are not exactly role models. But these kids seem to have turned out okay. It’s a delightfully diverse group, with different ethnicities, sexual orientations, origins (aka other times and other dimensions!), and powers. And the good news? A new storyline bearing the name Runaways began this summer with none other than Noelle Stevenson at the helm. (It’s a small but wonderful world!)
Prez by Mark Russell (writer), Ben Caldwell (art), Mark Morales and Sean Parsons (inks), Jeremy Lawson (colors), Travis Lanham (letters)
In a world where you can vote on Twitter and the leading political candidates’ only hope for fame to go viral on YouTube, it makes sense that a nineteen-year-old college student would be elected president. Beth Ross, best known for a viral video in which her hair catches on fire, now finds herself in the best/worst job in these United States. We’re two issues into this twelve-issue series, and I’m looking forward to seeing more. I have a feeling Beth’s perspective will prove that age ain’t nothin’ but a number.
And, of course, there’s always Nimona, the webcomic-turned-graphic novel by Noelle Stevenson that is so dearly beloved by us here at Panels. But you’ve already read it, right? Right?!
