Book Review - 'magnifiqueNOIR Book One: I Am Magical'' by Briana Lawrence (Writer, Artist, Creator), Various Artists

I should have loved this. After all, it's about Black queer AF magical girls - it aims to break every tradition, convention and expectation in terms of rep in the genre - and for the most part, it's charming and well written. Included in the novel are illustrations of each of the four magical girls of magnifiqueNOIR (plus their mentor who's a former magical girl) by different, prominent artists, and their bios, and one-page comic panels, furthering its adorable, independently-made charm. Each magical girls' place on the LBGTQ+ spectrum is reflected in their colour schemes; in their hair and fabulously fashionable outfits.

'magnifiqueNOIR Book One: I Am Magical''s geeky heart is in the right place.

Sadly, there is one problem. Wait--more accurately, it's the first problem: The confusedly-placed flashbacks at the beginning, which become too long and overstay their welcome, and which also create a nonlinear style of storytelling that doesn't continue or flow well with the rest of the book. Add in the inconsistencies between the flashbacks, and what happens and what is said between the past and the present day scenes, inadvertently giving the impression of an unreliable narrative device, and I was having a jarring reading experience. The "This is how I got here"/superhero origin flashback scenes should not leave me scratching my head and flipping back pages, to see if I'd missed something, only to find I hadn't; there are contradictory and nonsensical details and dialogue, in need of proofreading.

Other flaws include: Some of the characters, as well realised and well developed as they are, had their sudden selfish arsehole moments that made me want to tear my hair out. Or some other (or the same, actually) characters are just arseholes and are never called out on it. It annoys me.

While I'm on the point of inconsistencies and characters, one of the magical girls of magnifiqueNOIR 

(always in bold in the book) once refers to an ordinary civilian character as one of the most important people in her life (page 152)... when she'd only met him three times by then (that we know of), and each time very briefly. And the last time she met him he was screaming at her and being suddenly and frighteningly hysterical - an out-of-character moment that is never remarked on again. WTF?

There's also the changing of POVs being given new characters later on in the book, which might have been okay and acceptable if we'd met and gotten to know these people a bit more earlier on.

The monsters that the magical girls fight are generic, often slimy and oozing things that are easily and quickly defeated. Some fights even happen off-page - they are skipped over; not helping the impression that the monsters are an afterthought and nonthreat overall. Nothing about their origins, what they are, where they come from, and why they are attacking this specific (nameless) city now, after a generation ago, is explained. The origins of magnifiqueNOIR's existence and powers are not revealed, either. I've heard everything will be clarified in the sequel, though. I guess I'll have to take the blurb's and book reviewers' word for it. A lot of info is left out, to be explained and explored in the sequel, in fact.

Aaaaannnnd to point out another inconsistency, although this time it's due to a miscommunication between writer and artist, one of the comic panels (Page 161) has one of the girls fighting a female-in-appearance monster that is designed to look like a spider with horns on her head, but in the prose, in that same chapter, the monster is not described as anything like that - she's just a hideous, leaky, pimply, pus-filled mess of a creature ('pus' is incorrectly spelled as 'puss' every time it is mentioned in the book). It's a shame because a lady arachnoid, a giant black widow spider, sounds like an awesome monster for the magical girls to battle.

The chapters get increasingly, overly long, to boot. There are many typos - more editing and proofreading was needed - but then again, these days I've seen more typos in books from renowned publishing houses; this isn't only a problem in self-published works.

Yet, in spite of these flaws...

'magnifiqueNOIR Book One' is a geek girl's dream, and is full of heart and style. It is brimming with pop culture references, especially those of the video game and anime communities, and most of them are charming and cute instead of annoying and forced. It's like a better, feminist, more-loving-and-enthusiastic version of 'Ready Player One'. However, a few of the references, and the political and social climate of 'magnifiqueNOIR Book One', like in the attitudes towards queer people existing (wow are a lot of the older generation bafflingly ignorant and irritating), do give away that it came out in 2017.

How sad is it that nowadays I consider 2017 to be a long time ago? These last several years have been long, heavy, exhausting, regressive, worrying, dreary and deeply depressing, haven't they?

Oh look, positivity! And 'magnifiqueNOIR Book One: I Am Magical' is bursting with glittery, explosive positivity.

There's the wonderful inclusivity, the memorable, bright, literally colourful characters, and baking and cupcakes, and 8-bit pixels, as well as magical girl awesomeness! The magnifiqueNOIR girls' names are Galactic Purple, Cosmic Green, Radical Rainbow, and Prism Pink (who appears much later on and whose identity is a mystery)! They're great, vibrant, kaleidoscopic, magical Black queer heroines!

Maybe it would have been better if the whole thing had been a comic book instead of a prose novel.

I wish it could have been a bit more careful and thoughtful in its editing and characterisations and character consistencies (not to mention how it handles its flashbacks at the start).

But the passion, the commitment, the love for the characters, it's on every page. I don't know, maybe my love for the magical girl genre and diverse representation is clouding my judgement, but I think I might like 'magnifiqueNOIR Book One: I Am Magical' after all, when it is far from a masterpiece.

I've decided I will keep it. It's cool, cute and charming. And totally unlike anything you'll find in your average bookshop.

'magnifiqueNOIR Book One: I Am Magical' - A fangirl-made, western Magical GirlTM hidden gem.

Add this to the list of (legit) Magical GirlTM books I read and enjoyed in 2024. Others on the list are 'A Magical Girl Retires', 'Hovergirls', 'Flavor Girls', 'Save Yourself!', 'Sleepless Domain', 'Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess', and 'Winx Club' and 'W.I.T.C.H.' stuff.

Final Score: 3/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Pilu of the Woods' by Mai K. Nguyen

A lovely, sweet, sad, raw and heartfelt little all-ages graphic novel.

'Pilu of the Woods' could easily be a Cartoon Saloon film - there is a lot here that reminds me of 'The Secret of Kells', especially. A bit of 'Where the Wild Things Are', 'Bridge to Terabithia', and 'A Monster Calls' also come to mind.

It's the coming-of-age story of a young, grief-stricken tomboy named Willow, who goes to her favourite place, her escape - the woods near her home - after a fight at school, and a fight with her older sister at her house. It's in these woods where she meets a lost child forest spirit named Pilu. Willow sets out to take Pilu back home, determined to save her - and herself, from her own inner monsters. This symbolises Willow projecting her own feelings of loss and loneliness, and trying to fix her broken family and home, on her own.

'Pilu' explores themes and issues of grief, dealing with emotions in a healthy way, emotional instability, family connection and love, appreciating your loved ones, friendship, the woods and the wonders of nature, and how hard life is for a child - a lonely child, burdened with, and internalising, so much.

You'll learn a lot from reading 'Pilu of the Woods', and not only about plants, flowers, trees, mushrooms, fairy rings, and recipes (like mushroom rice!).

Mother Nature has more than one meaning in this story.

The art is gorgeous, adorable, rustic, dramatic, and suits the graphic novel brilliantly.

I had read and liked Mai K. Nguyen's latest work, 'Anzu and the Realm of Darkness', and I'm glad I finally checked out her previous book, which has made its mark in the graphic novel world.

The moral of 'Pilu of the Woods' is:

Bottling up your emotions, like anger and sadness, and grief and guilt, and trying to ignore them and keep them to yourself, never makes them go away. It makes them worse. It will make you miserable, irritable, and lost and helpless; even lash out eventually, like a stoppered volcano. You can't run from your feelings, for they are a part of you. It is not being kind to yourself, nor is it forgiving yourself, if you avoid confronting them. Calm down, and listen to them. Being a child who is carrying all this weight, all this pain, all these memories and broken promises, all by their lonesome, is especially harmful.

Be kind to yourself and others. Open up to your loved ones, and trust that they will understand you and what you are going through. That they love you. And the people you love and have lost are never really gone, as long as you remember them, and keep on loving them.

It's difficult, seemingly impossible. But it will get better. For life moves on, moves forward. You should never be alone in your suffering.

Plus, 'Pilu' has a cute dog in it!

It is iconic, as well as very sad and harrowing, yet uplifting and hopeful by the end.

What a woodsy, flowery, shroomy (not a word, I know), rainy, beautiful, pygmy-mole's-star-nose of a comic.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'The Final Girls' by Cara Ellison (Writer), Sally Cantirino (Artist), Gab Contreras (Colourist), Joamette Gil (Letterer)

'The Final Girls' - created by a whole team of female comic book writers and artists - is like a 2020s feminist version of 'Watchmen', that tackles themes and topics such as rape culture and the MeToo movement head-on, but abridged to just 168 pages. I really wish it could have been longer, and the characters developed and explored more. But as it is, this comic is good at what it sets out to achieve. Something like it needs to exist.

This gritty, political little superhero indie comic delves into "female empowerment" in ways both overt, and nuanced and understated. It highlights how there is no true definition of the term; it is all about complex and flawed women - real women, powers or no powers, immortal beings or not - who have been hurt, damaged, used and abused often and in varying degrees of traumatic, devastating weight.

It says: No matter the era, as long as the patriarchy rules over everything, it is impossible to be a woman. The (double) standards are too high. The hatred of them too great. There is no "acceptable" way for women to exist. For a woman to live her life however she damn well pleases. For herself.

A content warning for sexual assault, self-harm, and attempted suicide, is needed, if you decide to pick up 'The Final Girls'.

It acknowledges and shows how the patriarchy hurts men as well. It traps them. It stunts them. Stunts their growth - their emotional growth, their maturity. And their empathy.

As well as superheroes, the not-so-weird-and-implausible world of 'The Final Girls' contains vampires - there is a lesbian vampire, who is with the Asian, eyepatch-wearing, divorced bisexual lead heroine, whose power is absorbing people's emotions and hurt (that cuts deep) - and heroines who are from mythology and legends, and a heroine with a strong Scottish dialect (Doric, to be precise). The comic is also social media fab-and-fad - if you get my drift - in conjunction with its social commentary, and it includes the heroines' favourite playlists.

I praise 'The Final Girls' for its diversity in terms of race, sexualities, and body types. And for the majority of it being set in Scotland. I love Scotland and Scottish people! It is the Final Girls' get-together place, their safe space - one of which is at Falcon Hall, and the other is a pub, The Styx, at the Arse End of Nowhere.

I like that the women's comradery, and group and friendship support, as well as the fact that they were and still are a superhero team, is made clearer by the end, when it wasn't really developed at the beginning. Some things about the comic are confusing, and confusingly paced.

But you know what? Any comic nowadays that attempts to set right what so many lauded male comic writers (and male writers in general) have done hideously wrong in the past - in their stories and in their personal lives, and quotes - and who continue to be praised by the world for it, gets a huge thumbs up from me.

The MeToo movement simply means having abusers face the consequences of their actions. It is a decent, moral and common sense thing that sadly too many men will sink to any and all depths to desperately avoid. The long-overdue movement and rallying cry - that is heartbreakingly even more relevant than ever in 2024 - means at least trying to get these men to do the right thing, to see, and to think about and understand their victims' feelings... no matter how futile this may be, no matter how many mistakes and fuckups are made along the way in trying to do what is right - that is the heart and goal of 'The Final Girls'.

The Final Girls are heroes, and survivors.

They are not the final ones out.

But, er, are they all immortal? This is another confusing point that's left unaddressed.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic' by Sangu Mandanna (Writer), Pablo Ballesteros (Artist)

'Learning magic isn't always as bewitching as it sounds.'

'Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic' - there isn't much I can say about it. It's a simple children's magic boarding school graphic novel, about believing in yourself, appreciating what you have and what you can do, appreciating nature and the earth, patience, figuring out where you belong, and how everyone is special and important.

There is a lot of 'The Owl House' in it, as well as Archie's 'Sabrina', 'The Worst Witch', and, ahem, that other children's magic boarding school series that shall not be named. 'Jupiter Nettle' has been compared to 'The Okay Witch', too, which I see, and adore.

There's a sarcastic talking black cat (of course), unicorns, dragons, ghosts, a two-headed dog that's strangely never acknowledged by the characters, and a (useless) monarchy. Additionally, 'Jupiter Nettle' contains a pleasantly surprising number of feminist themes, angles and twists. The comic stars many great female characters, and it has two female witch/mage school professors who are married to each other! We need more LBGTQ+ inclusion and normalisation in middle grade books like this.

The art is cartoony, colourful, and terribly, terribly cute.

Overall, 'Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic' is cute, charming, funny, and is rife with super important messages. It could have had more depth and originality to it, with no need to be limited by its young target demographic; who are smart, and who understand, are thrilled by, and who feel inspired by, more than we give them credit for. Oh, and the magical stardust flower power plot point doesn't really go anywhere.

But oh well, it's nice as it is. This middle grade magic boarding school comic about magical farming contains an abundant growth of beautiful, enchanting, feminist elements and tastes that I love, so I'm keeping it.

I haven't liked anything else by rising-in-sudden-popularity author Sangu Mandanna in the past, but I do like her first children's graphic novel writing outing. I wonder if there will be a sequel...

Huh. It turns out I did have much more to say about 'Jupiter Nettle' than I'd thought. I always end up writing longer reviews than I thought I would. It all just comes out of my heart and mind, to my fingertips!

Well, never mind. I'll write one more thing for now:

What else is 'Jupiter Nettle' about? What are its other themes? - I know! Finding magic in the mundane, the unexpected, the "unmagical", in life. And friendship and community.

Everyone belongs somewhere. Everyone deserves magic in their lives if they want it badly enough. And kinships.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Sleepless Domain - Book One: The Price of Magic' by Mary Cagle, Oscar Vega

'Sleepless Domain' is a Magical GirlsTM webcomic that definitely wears its 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' influence on its sleeve. Its puffy, ribbony, yet tragic sleeve.

It looks like a 'Pretty Cure' series, or even 'Ojamajo Doremi', but there is a darkness to it, that lurks, and then pounces, blows, shocks and shatters at the middle of the book, and after that, nothing is the same again.

There's also a bit of 'Mystery Men', 'Silent Hill', 'Nimona', and school drama (a school for magical girls!) in 'Sleepless Domain'. I love the art and aesthetic of the whole comic - so colourful, bold, sparkly, and alive, which makes the tragedy, grief and guilt turn all the more effective. Together with its claustrophobic fantasy city setting - where everyone is boxed in for their "protection" from monsters from the outside world (or so it seems), and where practically every one of the limited cast of characters is a magical girl, and not by choice - there is a feeling of doom and entrapment throughout. This major theme has even been spelled out to readers from the very beginning with the comic's rather ominous title.

'Sleepless Domain' is really diverse. There are people with different body types and faces, and of different races, and there is a subtle sapphic inclusion and bloom. Bright anime hair colours, eye colours and costume colours are not the only things that matter here.

Disappointingly, the first published volume is four chapters long, and it has no real conclusion. Loads of plot points, threads, and characters are left hanging. Loads of mysteries. It feels like an introduction to a series more than anything else. It is a webseries that started in 2015, and this volume was published in 2018, but as far as I know, 'Sleepless Domain - Book One: The Price of Magic' has no Book Two. It is supposedly continuing, but is it? Does it have an ending? If not, will it ever get one? You can't leave us hanging like this! It's not fair!

'Sleepless Domain' - at the risk and danger of spoiling anything further, I'll leave off by saying, admittedly depressingly, yet fittingly enough, that it is a Magical GirlsTM story that twists the "pink magical girl is always the leader and the most powerful and saves the day by herself at the end" cliché on its decapitated head, and it asks the question, "What would happen if Sailor Mercury suffered the worst tragedy of her life?", with the beginnings of an answer.

Highly recommended for magical girl fans and readers of webcomics.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Meesh the Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang' by Michelle Lam

A fun, dynamic and relevant sequel to 'Meesh the Bad Demon', with many callbacks to the first story (seriously, nothing is forgotten about), expanded worldbuilding and history, and actual stakes and threats. It continues the story of young Meesh and her friends, and feels like it needs to exist.

There are themes of friendship, family, community, believing in yourself, and overcoming your insecurities - the usual, predictable fare - but also deforestation, destitution, prejudice, scapegoating, displacement, homelessness, classism, late stage capitalism, creation and destruction differences, and weapons of war. It's about how division for any reason destroys us all in the end. It is a violence, a poison - in this case, it is literal.

There's a clear divide between the children who are passionate fighters and want to help and do something, and the adults who have lost hope, are jaded, and have become complacent (or who are just too embarrassed to admit their mistakes, and won't do anything about them now). Scared. Helpless. Angry. Silent. Under the guise of "protecting" the youth, aka the next generation who will suffer the most from the previous generation's dangerous, shortsighted, colossal errors in judgement (and plain old ease and laziness, hindering progress). They need to take responsibility, as well.

Like its first volume, 'Meesh the Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang' is not as wholesome as it appears, but it's still cute! The characters are cute and likeable. The artwork is wonderful - colourful, sweet, shady, shadowy, dramatic, expressive, and plum fresh! - as is expected, and it suits the book so well.

In this subsequent, final (?) volume, we find out what happened to Meesh's mother, and why Meesh lives with her grandmother. And - slight spoiler - the big bad problem is not sorted this time by magic. Not the way you'd expect, anyway. It's not an ultimate-magical-girl-transformation-waves-wand-and-sparkles-fix-everything solution at the epic climax. The ending may surprise you.

Kindness, compassion, understanding, working together, and learning from past mistakes and building bridges must be the answer, for us all to survive.

'Meesh the Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang' could have done a little better with its character development - especially in regards to Meesh, as the protagonist fighting for attention in the sea of so many other characters. Scenes, events, plot elements and plot threads happen fast; the pacing - throughout the book on its own and in its transition from volume one to volume two - isn't quite as smooth and seamless as it should have been.

But it's an adorable children's action fantasy comic that doesn't get too dark, that isn't too violent, with a 75% satisfactory ending, with a bright, hopeful future for this fantasy world. A world where a girlchild at heart like me would love to live in.

Wonderful, wonderdust stuff, containing vitally relevant real life messages.

I hope 'Meesh the Bad Demon' becomes a cartoon series or movie someday.

Link to my review of 'Meesh the Bad Demon' here.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Book Review - 'Sunday The Sea Witch' by Andrea Stein, Cayce Matteoli (Illustrator)

A positive, magical review on Friday the thirteenth.

About a book where the main character is named Sunday.

Oh my good goddesses and queens, what a lovely picture book 'Sunday The Sea Witch' is.

It has practically everything I love and things I didn't realise I loved before: redhaired witch girls, wicca imagery, spellcasting, the sea, the crescent moon, seashells, mermaids, otters, jellyfish, octopi, seals, dolphins, the woods, frogs, pinecones... so much sea life and woodland life!

I want Sunday's life!

It also made me feel nostalgic for the houses and cottages I used to visit on holidays when I was a young girl. Some of those houses were by the sea. Like Sunday, I used to collect shells and stones from the beach, and stuff from wherever there were trees near my home. How wild and magical and dreamlike things are when you are a child; full of possibilities, and opportunities to get down and dirty.

'Sunday The Sea Witch' is at its core about finding yourself, and your inner spark and magic again, after a big change in your life. Change is good, and you're still you, no matter where you are. Whatever your change in affinity is - like with your magic and/or childlike wonder - it is always a positive thing to explore and expand your horizons; therefore you expand on your craft. You still have your heart, as you continue to grow and experience life.

Never lose yourself; what makes you you. Never lose your confidence.

There are beautiful illustrations and rhymes, as well.

'Sunday The Sea Witch' - what a me picture book!

Final Score: 5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Star Knights' by Kay Davault

How did a graphic novel where, throughout reading I thought, "This is really convoluted and complicated for a children's comic,", and "Come on, I can see the twists coming a mile away, they are too obvious", end up being one of the best children's graphic novels I've ever read?

It seems like a miracle, but it happened. I look back on 'Star Knights' and find that I in fact adore it. It actually does make a lot of sense, and is well planned out. Adding to its fantastic qualities is it is so endlessly charming, funny, heartwarming, touching, wholesome, creative, starry, twinkly, and astronomical. It is one of the best original fairy tales ever.

I don't want to spoil anything, but the tiny notes I made regarding 'Star Knights' are as follows:

Its main setting for the animal characters is called Milky Way Marsh. The protagonist is a little frog named Tad, who wants to be a legendary Star Knight. There are falling stars that turn into crowns that in turn turn animals into humanoid Star Knights with a wish (wow what a mouthful! I probably should have used the word transform somewhere in there...). There are woodland creatures, swamp creatures, and creatures who are Knights that live on the moon. Other characters include a trickster spider, a crow, and a toad witch. And there are dark monster battles in the Milky Way Marsh, on the moon, and in space.

The comic also contains elements that make me think of the games 'Super Mario Galaxy', 'The Legend of Zelda', and 'Secret of Mana', and the anime 'Princess Tutu'. There's a bit of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' and 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' in here, too.

Now onto the bigger notes:

'Star Knights' is similar to Kay Davault's most recent graphic novel, 'Misfit Mansion', in that it tackles the theme of racism and prejudice. It is very effective and nuanced. 'Star Knights' does animal racism, which I haven't seen done in anything this remotely effective since Disney's 'Zootopia'. It might even be better, and more understanding, and more subversive, than that. It is a great and vitally important topic to approach to a younger audience.

I almost didn't read 'Star Knights' because its main characters are male. Shows my own limited and closeminded views, doesn't it? Tad the frog Star Knight and Stello the, ah, other Star Knight (his true identity is a spoiler, even though anyone who has read the comic will immediately know who he is as it is obvious), are brilliant, well developed characters, and the best, most charming of friends. Besides, 'Star Knights' contains many female side characters - who in fact can be called main characters after all - and they are all wonderful and three-dimensional in their own way. They are strong, competent, and flawed!

There's even one of the most adorable and precious sapphic side plots I've ever seen, especially in something targeted towards children. I wonder, could Tad and Stello become something beyond friends in the future, too...?

The artwork - I can't think of another word to describe it: it is perfect. Cartoony, colourful, incredibly adorable, soft, bold, and breathtaking. The hardest of work went into creating this, and I appreciate and thank Kay Davault for her efforts.

Really, 'Star Knights' is a great graphic novel for all ages, destined to become a classic (or it ought to be). Anybody who has read 'Misfit Mansion' first must check it out. If only I didn't spend so much time thinking as I was first reading it, "This fairy tale has too much going on in it, and it is going to make children ask a lot of questions, rather than go with the flow." I simply needed to be more openminded, to trust in it.

Its ending is satisfactory, and darn near perfect. Its anime influences feel fresh and organic, instead of gimmicky, derivative, stale and tacked-on, and they add to the overall adorableness. The fact that it springs and soars to my mind my favourite magical girl anime shows, most notably 'Princess Tutu', makes me doubly love it. In 'Star Knights', there are magical girls and magical boys!

Hooray for feminism!

It is its own 'Star Wars' of kids' graphic novels. It needs to be adapted into an animated movie. It happened with 'Nimona', and there's no reason why 'Star Knights' shouldn't receive the same treatment.

(The same goes for Kay O'Neill's works.)

'Star Knights' - star bright. It is truly magical. Transformative in an assortment of ways - from the milky way stars, threaded into constellations. Look up, look into it, and feel inspired. Empowered.

For anyone can be a hero. And a friend.

Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Save Yourself!' by Bones Leopard (Writer, Creator), Kelly & Nichole Matthews (Artists), Jim Campbell (Letterer)

A Magical GirlsTM comic where the magical girls are actually the bad guys? And it's a superhero-style comic with art, panelling and pacing that's similar to a Marvel comic? And it's queer AF? And it's a standalone!!!???

Save yourself the agonising, burning curiosity now and go ahead and read 'Save Yourself!'

Sure it has its flaws - it could have benefitted from being a lot longer, with better established worldbuilding, and character arcs and development; this might be one of those rare comics with virtually no flashbacks where its pacing issues might have been solved with flashbacks - but darn it, 'Save Yourself!' manages to be full of fun and heart. It is never boring, never too confusing or frustrating, and the characters are unique, diverse, interesting, unforgettable, and just burst with charm, personality and likeability whenever they appear on-panel.

The art is gorgeous, lovely, and colourful, with brilliant touches of lighting, shading and shadowing. There lie within subtle little clues to the characters' personalities and pasts, as well.

*Looking back on the flaws* And yes, the ending is rushed, and the villains aren't well developed, with indistinguishable personalities and powers, and they don't really receive a resolution to their characters, either. There's that nonconsensual kiss in the first issue/chapter from the cool, buff, alien hero love interest to the human protagonist.

But the passion! The emotions expressed! The cool, endearing hero characters! The effortless diversity that can't be ignored and dismissed. The gender equality! The pronouns!

The pink! So much pink!

In addition to its queer love and alien/human drama and world-saving action, 'Save Yourself!' contains themes of propaganda, the failures of bureaucracy, fandom disillusionment, grief, and found family (and how, sadly, you can't always rely on and stand by your blood relatives when you know they're doing something deeply wrong, and they refuse to listen and change no matter what you say or do). In regards to its messages and politics, this comic could only have come out post-covid, and it is especially, vitally relevant in 2024.

Did I already mention another refreshing aspect, in that it is a standalone!?

'Save Yourself!' - Another contemporary LBGTQ+ Magical GirlTM comic you should check out. It is like 'Flavor Girls' (definite similarities there, especially the sci-fi, 'Pacific Rim'-like ideas), 'Hovergirls', 

'Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess', 'Steven Universe', and a very queer Marvel comics adventure. It is a short but substantial and enjoyable delight.

Astral, astronomical, and astounding.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Lavender Clouds: Comics about Neurodivergence and Mental Health' by Bex Ollerton

'Lavender Clouds' - nonfiction anecdotal comics all about struggling with mental health problems. It is dark, harrowing, messy, random, nonlinear, and full of ups and downs (mostly downs). So it's a perfect representation of what living with mental health issues - neurodivergence, depression, anxiety, moving on from trauma, stress, tiredness - is like; though it's not the perfect representation, as no one mind, no one brain, no one life, is like another. We are all different, and we all have our own individual struggles and inner battles, and we deal with them in our own ways. Some of us go through these battles with ourselves - not to mention the social interactions, and being forced to endue reality - day by day, year by year, no matter what we're doing or how much we've "progressed" and "healed".

Whether we're ready or not, we have to deal with them. We have to cope somehow. We have to try. Try to find our own happiness and contentment from within.

Wow. I did not want to get too personal in this review, but 'Lavender Clouds', by British introspective and emotional and mental truths comic artist Bex Ollerton, does contain some parts that felt relatable and hit close to home. These spoke of my own mental health struggles for the past year and a half, or at least the experiences are similar. It can be overwhelming.

But Bex Ollerton does offer hope, and a light, a rainbow, in the darkness and hopelessness in a few of her streams of consciousness, mental health comic panels; they become more apparent, more potent, by the end of the book. Plus I really like her art. It is beautiful and meaningful - it's not just chibi art being paradoxically depressing. I love the colours of lavender in 'Lavender Clouds'! And lilac, pink, purple, and yellow, among a host of other colours (like black and white for the saddest yet most poignant segments).

'Lavender Clouds' is all about Bex. We are let into her state of mind, that includes her pessimism, worries, anxieties, insecurities, ADHD, overstimulation, obsessions, bad habits, unhealthy looping and cycling, avoidance, mood swings, lifelines, burnouts, frustrations, trauma, shame, self-hatred, the "why am I like this?" and "I hope this will pass", and finding growth, healing, confidence and self-love, over and over again; taking her time, and learning self-care, and being aware of and pushing away any form of self-harm and destruction. None of it is self-indulgent, it's simply who she is.

Any other person we see her interacting with is either herself, or a bald, nondescript placeholder for a friend or a random she is made to be social with. This can be a detriment, and I would have liked to have seen her self-care and coping journey via any therapy? (Speaking as someone who has been to therapy for over a year now). Is she seeking that kind of help? What about her family and friends? Where are they?

Nonetheless, this comic is honest, deep, intense, more sad and terribly reflective of life (post-covid and in 2024, where mental illnesses, and their awareness, are more prominent and a subject of discussion) than funny and hopeful, without it being too self-wallowing and miserable. These issues, internal and external, need to be talked about, to be taken seriously, and understood.

And I want to continue to support female comic book artists, especially from my neck of the rainy woods.

Anyone can break free of any mental cycle and illness, no matter how endless and hopeless it seems right at the moment. It will take time, but things will get better. You have to believe you will get better. It is hard work, and you will need a lot of support from others, such as loved ones, but it will. get. better.

Do your best. You will be fine. Rest and relax. Slow and steady.

Love yourself. You are important, special, great, and unique. Take care of yourself.

You are not alone.

As Miss Bex Ollerton says at the end of her stream of consciousness journey:


'Every so often, I remember how hard I've worked to get to this point... It was an uncomfortable, messy process, and it took such a long time.

But looking back on all that pain, I can see how far I've come. I've learned that I can rely on myself [...] and open myself up to others.

And it's sad that I give myself such a hard time so often [...] Because in moments like these, when I can think about myself objectively, [...]

I'm proud of who I've become.

I used to long for clear skies.

I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of gray [...]

While everyone else's world was so full of colour.

The clouds made it hard to see clearly.

But after a while, I figured out how to be OK with them.

The sky doesn't need to be clear to be beautiful.'


A sky full of pretty lavender clouds!

I'm so glad and happy that, according to her Acknowledgements, Bex appears to be doing okay now. Doing fantastically, in fact. It is there that she mentions and thanks her loved ones.

Final Score: 3.5/5