Such a cute and wonderful little comic, that could also count as a children's picture book. It can be read in five minutes.
'Juniper Mae: Knight of Tykotech City' mixes in science, futuristic tech, robotics, magic, nature, dystopia, power sources, and legendary fantasy action heroines. It definitely has an anime vibe and influence to it. Plus it reminds me strongly of 'Amphibia' and 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'.The protagonist, the titular Juniper Mae, is an endearing little sweetheart inventor, a genius possessing wild imagination and creativity, who is also a loner. Humble, but alone except for her dad and grandpa. In her hero's journey she learns about the joys of friendship, and the confidence boosts that sharing your talents and interests with others can bring. Any neurodivergent reader, or any reader with social anxiety issues, can identify with her.
Juniper Mae will become a hero in so many ways. It is awesome and awe-inspiring.
If only the whole book were a completed story with no sequel hook (there's an ongoing mystery element), and Juniper's new froggy friend Albie, and his race of tama-tamas, had a more original design, and the "twist" villain was foreshadowed and not someone we hadn't seen nor heard of before, and the only visible LBGTQ+ element wasn't in one panel showing two women in a crowd holding hands - there was no reason why Juniper couldn't have had two dads (or two mums), instead of one dad and a grandfather living with her; though the latter is wheelchair bound, for physical disability rep, at least (that and Juniper's red glasses to go with her white hair). Then I would have loved 'Juniper Mae' even more. Oh well.
Female nerds - and sword-wielding, fighting female nerds - are the greatest sci-fi fantasy heroines.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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