Can a comic about four middle school paper girls i the 80s be interesting?
Credits:
Paper Girls
Image Comics
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Colors: Matt Wilson
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Plot: (Major Plot Spoilers)
Early morning on Tuesday November 1st, 1988, four middle school girls are delivering the local papers in the Cleveland area. Their night is greeted with local bullies who are still out causing havoc after Halloween. After dealing with bullies, these young ladies have a walkie talkie stolen by weird looking guys. The girls chase after them to discover a weird looking ship in the basement of a house. Flying reptiles appear in the sky. They run for Mackenzie’s home and find her step mother. All of the adults are disappearing from the town along with most of the kids. The girls find themselves in the midst of a battle of young mutant like humans and older knights with weird technology.
Review:
Art: The art is beautiful. I really enjoyed the stylized pencils and inks from Cliff Chiang. I love the great details which show pieces into the lives of these 4 young ladies in the late 80s. There are pages with little detail when it isn’t needed but great details when it is needed.
The coloring of Matt Wilson makes this comic extra special. The shading of colors adds to the story telling on each panel. They give you the emotions, the intensity, and the drama of the panel.
Story/Plot: This story is unique and fun. It invests you into characters right away. Each girl is distinct and compelling in her own way. The plot is engaging and quirky with flying reptiles, time traveling, mutants, and delivering of papers in 1988.
MY REVIEW:
I wasn’t sure what to expect with Paper Girls. I picked it up on the recommendation of a friend. I am usually a cape and tights kind of guy but this collected comic about middle school paper girls in 1988 was sensational.
Grade:A
