Boom! Box 2017
Written by Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith & Kurt Lustgarten
Illustrated by Naomi Franquiz
Coloured by Brittany Peer
Lettered by Jim Campbell
When we last left the girls they were running from the scary pair of siblings and breaking and entering into the junkyard. Covered in mud, scared and on the run they called Todd to come pick them up and that’s where we pick up here in the car on the way home that very night.
With each issue the characterisation grows and the bond between these girls seems to grow ever stronger. Also the Gloomies references are more pronounced but it’s okay because they know that what they are doing mirrors the town’s biggest claim to fame. There really is this undeniable charm here with each of these vastly different and diverse group of friends. Kiwi and Kurt prove that and adventure is an adventure regardless and when you get caught up in one gender doesn’t matter little bit.
Part of me wishes that the brother/sister duo that’s out for the father’s treasure, who are also chasing the girls down for that map, weren’t so predictable. Okay so they want something that wasn’t left to them I get it but to make them kind of evil, and yes I mean Disney Evil, so that we don’t want them to succeed is kind of expected. Now a rival thing might have thrown an interesting monkey wrench into the way we see things and would have been more unexpected. Just a thought from me but then again the siblings do make for good villainous fodder.
I’m am a big fan of Naomi and Brittany’s work on the interiors here. The ladies capture that whimsy and charm that the writing has beautifully. Right from the first page you notice the attention to detail in the work and how that makes them individuals and we can see how their expressions are so easy to read and understand. I really like this it’s just the right blend of all-ages that is elevated to a degree i’m not used to seeing. The use of page layouts through their angles, perspective and utilisation of backgrounds is extremely well done and nice to see. The flow it creates reading this is magnificent.
I like that there is a natural progression to the story and it doesn’t feel contrived. That they each bring some unique point of view or skill set to the table allows them to find the clues they need to keep moving forward in their search. it’s got this really nice pacing to the story that makes it fun to see unfold and allows us enough room to really get into the story. There’s a nice amount of characterisation and storytelling here to feel invested in the lives of these young women. Plus that this whole treasure hunt has as many obstacles, music-ex’s-family, as it does makes them getting to the end seem more lucky than a given.
Boom continues to find these little gems that are genuine feel good stories. With everything crazy going on in the world right now don’t underestimate the importance of something that’s this kind of feel good. It will draw you in and bring a smile to your face I guarantee it.