Boom! Box 2016
Written by Hope Larson
Illustrated by Brittney Williams
Coloured by Sarah Stern
Lettered by Jim Campbell
Goldie loves to solve mysteries and fix things but can she fix a broken friendship? Sometimes she’s so focused on the now she doesn’t think things through and see what consequences her actions may take. This issue we see that perfectly as Cheryl has Goldie out for a morning, and I mean like 5:45am, run on the beach. Cheryl’s lifelong dream is to be an astronaut and she’s got Goldie on board too. Only on the beach they find a young woman who’s in a spacesuit passed out.
When I was younger I never knew the real meaning of “too smart for your own good” but Hope makes that saying incredibly clear here. It kind of sums of Goldie to a “T” and it’s a great way to keep her characterisation able to move forward and evolve. She’s still young and has a lot to learn as she balances social graces with her intelligence, drive and determination. That Hope is making her this complete person flaws and all is one of those rarities that makes reading this so much fun.
I’m also a fan of the fact that it’s Cheryl’s expertise in all things astronaut that helps educate Goldie in why this young woman who can’t remember who she is isn’t with NASA. For details you need to read the story. It’s this education though when the girls meet the folks from the actual agency that leaves Cheryl starstruck and Goldie using the information she learned from her so that Cheryl gets overlooked. It would’ve been so simple for Goldie to say what she did and give Cheryl the credit for noticing it. Ah the trials and tribulations of friendships and being too smart for your own good.
So who is this strange woman and how can Goldie apologise for their blow up if Cheryl’s avoiding her? Again details inside but this is the beginning of Goldie’s latest case, The Case of the Mysterious Astronaut. With new characters introduced and her relationship with Diane still going strong, not to mention the unseen impact the discovery has on the resort Goldie’s in for a new adventure.
I do like the all-ages interior artwork here. It’s nice to see so many characters represented with different style of dress and personality without resorting to the skin trend, showing too much I mean. Plus Brittney’s eye for storytelling is so nice as the flow through the pages and the use layouts demonstrate.
I’m still hoping we’ll see the effects of what happened at the end of last issue and if those folks have left or are keeping an eye on Goldie. Her rivalry with the owner’s daughter and how with a new mystery and a friendship to fix things are heating up in the most unexpected of ways. The story development here is strong and well paced.