Paper Girls: Book One

Four twelve year old paper delivery girls in the 80s (which is another draw for me) find themselves at the center of strange events on Hell Morning. Before they know it, they've met masked men (boys) from another time, faced death, and traveled into the future!!! 

It's the morning after Halloween when Erin, new to the paper delivery game, runs into Mac, KJ, and Tiffany. Well, not so much runs into considering they come to her rescue when some local teens begin harassing her during her delivery. Because of the holiday antics, the three girls are already delivering together and invite Erin to tag along. Unfortunately teaming up doesn't prevent three weirdos still in costume from attacking KJ and Tiffany and stealing one of their walkie talkies. The girls give chase, tracking their attackers to an abandoned house and that's when things get weird...

First off let me say that I have struggled in the past trying to get into comics. I read my brother's X-Men comics when we were kids - in particular anything Rogue/Gambit and Jubilee. Beyond that, I did very briefly try to buy Buffy comics when they started releasing. And this is likely why I also stopped - a quick perusal of my oh, so small comic collection from those days revealed two copies of the same comic (with different covers) and four comics that I apparently thought followed the duplicate, but were actually part of a completely different series. This was before the bound books, folks!

But there's that whole Read Harder challenge (which has THREE comic categories this year). As such, I've been open to trying some comics. In particular two series I heard about on Book Riot that sounded right up my alley. And while we were in San Diego, I decided it was time to give a few a try. 

Paper Girls had been described as perfect for fans of Stranger Things, so of course it was at the top of my list (right alongside Misfit City, aka The Goonies for girls)! And it's probably no surprise that I fell in love with this series!

Paper Girls is ongoing, currently clocking in at 20 installments. Paper Girls: Book One, with its impossible to miss hot pink cover, collects issues 1-10 (or vol 1 and vol 2). And it has a total cliff hanger ending, which means that I was dying to get my hands on vol 3 and the soon to be released vol 4!

The story is oddball and the Stranger Things comp is completely appropriate. First, it starts in the 80s. Second, there's paranormal weirdness - in this case, time travel! Before the girls know it, there are dinosaur riding people in space suits after them!

I know I'm new to the comics world, and there are plenty of people who've been into it longer and know more than I do. I also know that Vaughan's other series, Saga, is so incredibly, massively popular that you can't miss references to it. There are even Saga Funkos now! But, I don't think anything can possibly top Paper Girls for me. The series is super fantastic fun! The story is engaging and the illustrations are phenomenal. And, obviously, it's perfect for folks just getting into comics!

Comic Review - Bingo Love

Diving into comics has been a bit of an eye opening experience for me. I've binge purchased a ton of them at this stage, all based on recommendations from people who have been reading them WAY longer than I have. And let's face it, I have a lot to catch up on!

Comics have turned out to be perfect reading as my agenting work gets busier and busier. When I'm in the midst of edits and putting together pitches and need to get away for a bit, but don't have time for a full novel, comics fit in perfectly alongside the shorts and novellas that have been my go to for short breaks.

And it was in one of these breaks that I discovered Bingo Love! Newly released from Image, this comic is about true love that stands the test of time!

It's 1963 when Hazel Johnson meets Mari McCray. She glimpses the new girl across the bingo hall, but doesn't meet her properly until she's introduced in class the next day - and she's instantly smitten! Hazel is elated when the two become fast friends, but she also realizes she wants more than just friendship with Mari. And when it turns out Mari feels the same, she couldn't be happier! Unfortunately the two are torn apart when Mari's grandmother catches them kissing.

Decades later, the Hazel and Mari meet again - over bingo - and find their love is still as strong as ever!

This story has all the feels! I mean ALL THE FEELS!

Hazel and Mari are teens in the 60s and well aware of the fact that the timing is not right for them. But the betrayal by each of their families when their love is discovered is way worse. And so - and these aren't spoilers - the two women go on with their lives without one another.

We get the story from Hazel's perspective - we begin with her in 2038 as she begins recounting her story, jumping back to February 1963 when she first catches sight of Mari and she takes readers all the way through to her present day.

And because this is a comic, I have to talk about the illustrations! I adored the illustrations in this one - they're gorgeous! And, paired with the writing, give readers the full extent of the characters' emotions as the story plays out.

Now, what I hadn't realized was that prior to being picked up by Image, Bing Love started as a graphic novella from Inclusive Press funded through Kickstarter last year. In October, it was announced that Image had picked it up and now that brand spanking new mass released edition is out too! So this is a double yay for the folks behind this sweet story! And according to the comic itself there's to be at least two more pieces to the Bingo Love story.

Bingo Love does stand alone as a full story. The extras promised within its pages are just that, welcome extras, including Hazel's husband's story.

Full credits for Bingo Love are:
Writer: Tee Franklin
Artist: Jenn St-Onge
Colorist: Joy San
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Editor: Erica Schultz