Page 45 Review by Stephen
“What did we learn today?"
"That our worst nightmares are real and we should totally be afraid of them because they are coming to get us."
Hardcore Lady Types! Friendship To The Max!
That's what the Lumberjanes' Camp's all about. Also: extreme exploring and v sassy hair.
What it is not supposed to be about: sneaking out from your cabin at night in pursuit of a shape-shifting bear-woman only to be ambushed by a savage pack of three-eyed foxes which combust upon contact and project mystery messages like "Beware the kitten holy".
You run a very high risk of "stranger danger".
Yet that is precisely what Mal, Molly, April, Jo and Ripley have done. Now they must answer to cabin leader Jane who takes them to camp leader Rosie who's whittling out of wood the most intricate eagle claws with an axe. Curiously, Rosie's not cross; she's intrigued. And what's that glowing crystal doing in her toilet? I don't think it's an air freshener.
Highly animated art – positively hyperactive in places – with lots of background laughs, my favourites including Mal in pursuit of a fox, mouth wide, arms flailing and young, sugar-buzzed Ripley dancing with glee when one of her friends starts dancing. Watch Ripley throughout: she is hilariously excitable.
Magic foxes are just the beginning. There are rapids to ride, river monsters to not ride, a Tomb Raiding expedition complete with problem solving skills, a pack of Yeti but – most frightening of all – the boy scouts' hairy-legged leader, bounding into their cabin in muddy boots and wielding an axe.
There are over 20 volumes by various creators so far. And what's not to love in a comic that deifies Joan Jett? "Al, Molly, what in the Joan Jett are you doing?!"
They’re getting into trouble.
A phenomenally popular, long-running series, LUMBERJANES is empowering, individualistic, all-inclusive and comes with a heart of gold.
Also highly recommended by No Stevenson:
NIMONA: a self-contained comedy-fantasy starring a deliciously brash but highly capable young lady with a permanently arched eyebrow and the ability to shape-shift. Possibly, therefore, also a secret past. She is not so much taken under the wing of their world’s ultimate arch-villain as tunnels her way under his cold, black cloak, Lord Ballister Blackheart is a wrong ’un and make no mistake. But he too has a past involving the kingdom’s not-so squeaky-clean champion, Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. Hmmmm.... Expect personal tempests, public conflagration, mass immolation, enormous collateral damage and some right old ruling-body stitch-ups.
