Graphic Novel Review - 'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 5: Truly Outrageous' by Kelly Thompson (Writer), Gisèle Lagacé (Artist), M. Victoria Robado (Colourist), Various Artists

It's the fifth and final volume of the 'Jem and the Holograms' reboot comic run!

And it is rushed and unfinished, and as of this writing, there is no news of any continuation. No sequel, no relaunch, nothing.

Not so 'Truly Outrageous', after all. At least not the way the fans want it.

But there is 'The Misfits' solo comic, and 'Infinite'. It's not all for naught.

So. What happens at "the end", so to speak?

Spoilers ahead:

It is a beach/luau/holiday story, with a music tour and concert close to the end. The Stingers - minus Raya, who is now with the Holograms - are annoying like the bees they are, but especially Riot. For some inexplicable reason, no one can see he's a toxic narcissist with a serious ego and entitlement issues.

The rest of the Stingers, Rapture and Minx, almost get Kimber killed, when she falls for their trick of receiving a note from "Stormer" about a romantic rendezvous, and she falls off a cliff, leading everyone to find and save her. Cue rescue and hospital scene. This plot point is exactly like an episode of the eighties cartoon, and was it only included for something exciting and interesting to happen in the final volume? I hope not. I want to give Kelly Thompson more credit than that. She did her best despite, I suspect, restrictions, editorial mandates, and cancellation.

Jerrica reveals the truth to Rio about Jem, the Holograms, and Synergy, and the couple break up. That's something. Rio, a journalist, decides not to expose the girls and the Synergy technology to the world, for their sakes. The issue of whether to tell the truth to the world, about tech that is revolutionary on a global scale and thus potentially extremely dangerous, is their choice to make, and it is left up in the air if the sisters ever decide together to do it.

Some character arcs have little to no resolution, and the whole comic feels chopped up in editing.

Why leave hanging Riot (ugh) asking Jerrica out to make Rio and "Jem" jealous? What did Jerrica say? What did she do? She never brings it up afterwards, and Riot? He is literally never seen or mentioned again!

I shouldn't complain, honestly. I prefer no love triangle BS in my girl power stories unless it's a polygamous relationship, thank you, and not with an arsehole narcissist character like Riot.

Stormer is the only Misfit to appear in the main storyline. Seriously. The excuse is that the band is busy with their new reality TV show from 'The Misfits' comic. The TV crew are present as cameos, but not Pizzazz, Roxy, Jetta, or Blaze. What. The. Hell? Stormer is only here because of her relationship with Kimber.

Where does the "star-crossed lovers" idea go, anyway?

Eric Raymond was never a real threat to Jem and the Holograms, was he? He's unceremoniously brushed aside as the Misfits' longsuffering manager. Thank the goddesses for 'Infinite'.

At the hospital scene, near the denouement, Raya drops the bombshell that she knows Jem and Jerrica are the same person, after seeing the Jem hologram over Jerrica malfunction in the the previous volume. This is resolved quickly and concisely with little fanfare. Not that there was any doubt that Raya will keep her new band family's secret.

There is no shown tension between Shana and her almost-replacement, Raya. They're immediately friends and sisters, apparently. Pizzazz and her relationship with her almost-replacement, Blaze, had some tension, although it is befitting her character, unlike the nicer Shana, who wouldn't hold a grudge against sweet Raya. When Pizzazz's issue with Blaze resolved itself and they became friends, I have no idea.

Synergy only appears in one page. She isn't even in any of the last pages with Jerrica, Kimber, Aja, and Shana, together in sisterhood and solidarity, not just as a famous band with secret world changing tech. Not even any thoughts on their late parents? On Synergy, who looks like their mother, and what that means symbolically? Not exactly a bow on a stage to a worldwide audience, is it?

There might be too many characters for the creative team to keep track of, including one-offs who never appear anywhere else.

I miss Blaze and Clash.

Oh well.

Concluding notes:

The last story after the main one, 'An Exquisite Corpse', aka 'Annual 2017', is very cute. It is about the young foster girls, in a band called the Starlight Girls, who have written and drawn a 'Star Wars'-ian comic book starring Jem and the Holograms, using the exquisite corpse method. They are big fans of Kimber and Stormer - Stimber - as well, you can tell. It is lovely. Jerrica is understandably sad that she is not in the comic, only Jem.

(Why did her identity crisis issue never get resolved? WTH?!)

I like that Aja, the lead guitarist, is the practical and responsible handywoman - mechanic, maintenance, driver, the works - of the group, as well as a thrill chaser, all throughout the comic run. She has her funny and snaky moments. Her diverse rep: Asian and plus size.

Stimber FTW. I only wish that Stormer was allowed more to exist as a Misfit and her own separate person. She is a sweetie, and also great for fat representation.

Moreover, I like the comics' subversive and clever changes from the eighties cartoon. It improves and adds to it, while still showing it clear, bright love and respect.

Examples:

Kimber, originally, was boy crazy and had a new love interest in nearly ever episode; now she is a lesbian who has the same partner throughout the series, and it is a member of her rival band, the Misfits, who are more outrageous, funny, and complex than ever before.

Jerrica/Jem is the cheater in her and Rio's relationship, not Rio like in the cartoon. He dislikes Jem, and he rejected her advances in the 'Dark Jem' arc, and Jerrica willingly got romantically involved with Riot as Jem in 'Enter the Stingers'. (Rio. Riot. Heh.) Rio calls Jerrica out on this when she reveals she is Jem to him, and it is a primary factor into why they break up.

Loud, hyper, obnoxious, and temperamental Kimber, who acts like a Misfit, is canon OTP with the shy and sensitive Misfit Stormer, who would fit in well with Jem and the Holograms. Was this intentional? It's freaking clever, either way.

Oh, and I guess I should make note of the fact there is good and decent artwork again, after the last several issues. Thank the goddesses.

Overall, I enjoyed this reboot series. Wish it continued further, but I suppose you can't win them all.

It did lead to the precious awesomeness that is 'The Misfits', which I will review soon.

I love these women. I love their diversity, their personalities, their arcs, their clothes, their hair, their makeup, their flare, their joy, their banter, their musical passion and talents, their love and support for one another, everything.

Kelly Thompson, Sophie Campbell, and the other artists did them loud and proud, with style and substance. A phenomenal feat for comics with "music" in them.

'Jem and the Holograms' - a dark horse when it comes to magical girls with pop rock bands. It definitely needs to be bigger as a franchise. It needs to be expanded into a multimedia franchise. It needs a real screen remake. Maybe a new cartoon series. Make the awesome music happen!

Aaaaaaaaaaand that's it.

For now.

Links to my reviews of:


'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 1: Showtime'

'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 2: Viral'

'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 3: Dark Jem'

'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 4: Enter The Stingers'


Final Score: 3/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 4: Enter The Stingers' by Kelly Thompson (Writer), Jen Bartel (Artist), Meredith McClaren (Artist), M. Victoria Robado (Colourist), Shawn Lee (Letterer)

'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 4: Enter The Stingers' - another fun run and ride with Jem and the Holograms, and the Misfits.

Here we have the Stingers, which include the future Hologram and adorable cinnamon roll Raya, and the narcissistic and entitled lead singer Riot, whom Jerrica as Jem ends up dating, despite being with Rio.

(Rio. Riot. Really?)

Jerrica's identity crisis, and the psychological effects of juggling two separate identities, especially when one of them is a famous singer in a band, comes to a head in this volume.

Then there's the Misfits (or rather, Pizzazz) regressing in development, as they once again try to sabotage the Holograms, to devastating and even dangerous ends. Yeah their label dropped them, and their careers are in the gutter, but they have no reason to blame Jem and the Holograms for this when Pizzazz knows it is entirely due to Riot's machinations! Nearly everything bad that happens in this volume is his fault! Blaze is still a sweetheart.

The devious Dahlia Shen, stage name the Fox, appears.

Shana wants to pursue a career in fashion, and temporarily leaves the Holograms to go to Milan for an internship at a fashion industry. Spoiler: Raya doesn't end up replacing Shana - they are both in the band.

Also there are bears.

This is where 'Jem and the Holograms' goes full band(s) drama, and far less sci-fi, which is... quite a choice, especially considering literally everything from the previous volume. I think Synergy only appears in three panels on one page.

Furthermore, does anyone else think that part of Jerrica's intense psychological state, and preference to be Jem, has something to do with how Silica %*#@ed with her mind and changed her personality in the last volume? It's strange how something so extreme is brought up infinitesimally at the beginning, and then never again. Jem and the Holograms, and the Misfits, plus Rio, Craig, Tony, Eric, and Techrat (where did he go?), found out about real dangerous brainwashing technology, and literally saved the world, and they go back to their lives like nothing happened!

These volumes don't get any darker than 'Dark Jem', sadly. At least until 'Infinite'.

There are also some baffling plot contrivances, rewrites and editing choices in 'Enter the Stingers'. But they are tasty cakes compared to its number one obvious flaw. And it has nothing to do with Riot.

Okay. Let's discuss the elephant in the room.

Let's talk about the art, starting from issue #19.

I'm sorry, I don't want to seem mean, I know drawing for comics is hard, but I have to be honest:

The artwork is truly outrageous, in the worst possible way.

Good goddesses. To go from art so good to this would be jarring enough, but even on its own, it is terrible. It is ugly and off-putting. It's not merely that it doesn't suit 'Jem', I'm not sure where it would be suited, except in very short and sparse funny pages. The artist just couldn't draw humans; they look like aliens, or emaciated Muppets left out in the cold for too long. Whenever any of them opens their gaping black maw, it is nightmare fuel.

I don't expect to be reminded of Allie Brosh's art and a child's doodles of 'Peanuts' characters when reading the 'Jem and the Holograms' reboot comics, is all.

The characters' facial expressions are distinct and pronounced enough that I can always tell what they're thinking and feeling, and follow along fine, but that's the best praise I can give this aspect of the comic.

Thank the Muses that the art changes for the mightily, mercifully better in the fifth and final volume.

There is a funny moment where an ordinary citizen sees Jem change into Jerrica in a car, and he bemoans that he needs more sleep. Sorry. I'm still recovering from the artwork, and trying to find a silver lining in the mess.

If the comic wasn't engaging and entertaining otherwise, I would have knocked off a star for the art for issues #19-23 alone.

But that aside, I recommend 'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 4: Enter The Stingers' as a continuation of the story of the rebooted 'Jem'. Through its flaws, there remains the sisterhood, and female solidarity and understanding - a sisterhood solidarity. Every woman is dynamic, and they feel real, in spite of their bizarre circumstances.

The music presence is as strong as ever, and I like Raya as a new Hologram member.

Stay tuned for my review of the final volume of the main run of 'Jem and the Holograms' - 'Truly Outrageous'.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 3: Dark Jem' by Kelly Thompson (Writer), Sophie Campbell (Artist), M. Victoria Robado (Colourist)

It's the 'Dark Jem' arc!

Synergy gets corrupted by a virus, called Silica, who through sound brainwashes Jerrica/Jem and the Holograms into wearing the coolest dark outfits ever and using music - a sickness of sound - to brainwash the rest of the world into Silica's image.

Standard 'Jem' stuff, really

There's also the Misfits being forced to replace Pizzazz as their lead singer due to her car accident, and they recruit Blaze, who is among the best in transgender representation in comics. Plus romantic partner troubles and reconciliations (so cute and sweet!), a look into Pizzazz's insecurities and deeply lonely life, Jem kissing Rio and him not reciprocating (a great subversion, and a much needed improvement, on the eighties cartoon, to not have Rio be a cheater, when he doesn't know that Jerrica and Jem are the same person), a flashback to the sisters' childhood with their parents, and Jem and the Holograms and the Misfits putting their differences aside and working together to save the world with music! (I don't care about spoiling that detail, it's too cool to omit!)

'Dark Jem' pretty much confirms that Synergy's design by the girls' father is based on their mother. A shame that it is never brought up again.

'Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 3: Dark Jem', the third volume of the comic reboot series, is a very cool (I keep using that word, don't I?) story, and all the characters are excellent. Highlights include Pizzazz (I adore her development), Blaze, and Jerrica.

Pizzazz's cat, Madmartigan, gets a spotlight, too.

It is Techrat's last appearance in the main comic run. He doesn't show up again until 'Infinite', though it's not technically him... read the comic to find out what I mean.

All the couples are cute, especially Blaze and Clash. Oh, and Kimber and Stormer. Roxy and Jetta make a tremendous platonic pair.

Further praise goes to the awesome, awesome, and diverse artwork.

Did I mention how freaking cool Jem and the Holograms' dark side designs are yet?

Next up, we're back to wholly band(s) drama, and here come Raya and the Stingers, and the Fox, and the worst artwork for 'Jem and the Holograms' ever!

Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Red Sonja, Vol. 3: The Forgiving of Monsters' by Gail Simone (Writer), Walter Geovani (Artist), Adriano Lucas (Colourist), Alex Guimarães (Colourist), Marco Lesko (Colourist), Vinicius Andrade (Colourist), Simon Bowland (Letterer)

The final volume of Gail Simone's run of 'Red Sonja'. It is the end of a trilogy, and while it is not perfect, and there is no world-ending stakes for the finale of an epic fantasy genre story, it is an enjoyable, fiery, and even touching ride.

It has the 'swords' and 'sorcery' parts covered, anyway.

The dialogue and succinct narration boxes are solid as ever, and Sonja is as awesome a heroine as ever. The action scenes are spectacular, and Sonja learns to use more of her heart and brains to defeat her enemies this time around. Nevertheless, the comic doesn't hold back on the violence and some gory moments.

The third and last volume is called 'The Forgiving of Monsters'. As you can guess, the main theme in the main storyline is forgiveness. I won't spoil much, but it gets intense. And for someone like me who doesn't forgive easily, and fervently believes that forgiveness should be earned and never given, for little to no reason, as easily as one could force and take it, with no consequences, I can see where this story was trying to go with it. I could be won over by its argument that to forgive is to be free, and to be living happily.

'The Forgiving of Monsters' - vengeance will not free you, and the obsession leads to the risk of becoming a monster yourself, of endless outer and inner destruction.

The ending is fantastic, and very personal to Sonja. There are cameos from the previous volumes galore, and it is wonderful to see these characters again. It is so heartening to see a heroine be appreciated and loved for who she is, despite her flaws and setbacks. For she is only human, and it should not diminish all the good she has done for others; the innocent, the altruistic, the marginalised, the ordinary people.

The second story in the volume, the final 'Red Sonja' comic, starts off at a beach, then an orgy, and then a library. Sonja is sought by desperate nuns to protect the Citadel of All Knowledge from a self-loathing tyrant empress who wants to ban literacy for females. Oh, it is exciting, thrilling, and clever, trust me. It is as brilliant and touching as the main story, and develops Sonja's character to an amazing degree.

She initially refuses to help the nuns and the library because, as fearless in battle as she is, she is afraid and ashamed when surrounded by books and academic wonders. Sonja was never one for books and reading - in fact, she's always found reading and writing difficult, implying a learning disability. But maybe, with the help of these nuns - old and young, loyal and diligent, kind and brave - she can be taught, and she can learn to love the stories that books tell. Especially those about young redhaired girls who fight to defend their villages from gods in smart ways. Who are warriors but strategists, too.

All heroes can learn a lot from children's books.

I'm a bit underwhelmed and disappointed by the very end, the very last page of this run, but I'll take it. It does its job. Though it promises a 'Red Sonja Reborn' that never materialised.

No matter what changes Red Sonja - the Devil, Sonja the Hunter, the Red Woman, etc - goes through on her journeys, and no matter what kinds of fights she gets into, what obstacles come her way, and what she struggles through - through hell and back, and even conquering death herself - she will win, she will beat you, whether by killing or showing mercy, and she will always want a drink afterwards.

And whoever she decides to sleep with, Sonja will forever remain single.

She will never settle. She will never stay in one place. She will keep travelling, moving forward, and fighting on. She will keep living her life as she wants. She is surly, insolent, vulgar, and restless.

Everyone loves her for it.

She will never truly be alone. There are loads of people who have her back and will unfalteringly support her.

(Isn't it great that Conan the Barbarian doesn't exist in this run?)

(Sonja refers to herself in the third person many times in this volume, which is weird.)

The art by Walter Geovani is as mind-blowing, outstanding and stellar as ever. The fights, the blood, the gore, the environment, the facial expressions, the emotions, Sonja looking downright menacing, to her smirking, it is all stunning. However, I don't like the cover issues and art gallery, that showcase the red heroine barely wearing anything, and having a dull bedroom face.

How does a person from a pulpy, sword and sorcery, medieval fantasy world seemingly have absolutely no body hair anywhere?!

Here's a party and a toast to the unfortunate end of Gail Simone's run of 'Red Sonja', as she - both the creator and the medieval superheroine - would have wanted.

It is a shame. Simone's version of Red Sonja definitely deserves her own blockbuster film. She needs it, it's owed to her, especially as... that obscure eighties monstrosity is one of the worst films I have ever seen. If any movie, any title character, is overdue for a reboot, it's that.

We need more action heroine movies. We've pulled back from progress so much in the last several years, due to the evils and cowardice of capitalism.

I don't want to settle for comics and graphic novels for female representation of all walks of life. By now, in 2025, I shouldn't have to.

I recommend this 'Red Sonja' comics trilogy, by one of my favourite female comic book writers.

My review of 'Red Sonja, Vol. 1: Queen of Plagues' can be read here.

My review of 'Red Sonja, Vol. 2: The Art of Blood and Fire' (I still dislike that generic as hell title) can be read here.

Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Muted: Volume 1' by Miranda Mundt

My 1150th review!

It is fitting it should be of a modern witchy comic of both darkness and light. Of horror and heart.

'Muted' is one of the newest witchy webcomics, and in 2025, its first volume is out in the world in paperback form. Different editions, publishing and republishing, birth and rebirth, they are exciting, breathtaking, stunning, transformative, hopeful things.

'Muted: Volume 1' is very dynamic and dramatic, and sometimes dark and bloody, but mostly it is colourful, funny, cute, enchanting, bold and beautiful. It deals with themes of trauma - generational, family, religious, personal, the works - tragedy, domestic abuse, elitism, classism, self-worth, and nature versus nurture (emphasis on the nature part).

Even with its darkness, 'Muted: Volume 1' is easygoing, easily and steadily paced, and easily accessible. The likeable and memorable characters certainly help the reader to ease in, and follow along the journey.

The journey of a lesbian witch's tragedy and coming-of-age tale.

Set in New Orleans, 'Muted' is about Camille Severin, a beautiful redhaired young woman who comes from a rich witch family that is so set in its archaic ways that it deals in coming-of-age rituals of bloodletting and summoning demons to get richer still. At least, that is how her aunt, the Matriarch Athalie, runs it.

When Camille was a child, her mother and twin sister died in a mysterious fire in a greenhouse, and she was raised by her abusive aunt Athalie, and her only friends and confidantes are her cousins Avaline (same age, and Athalie's daughter) and Silvia (older, and distant, though I only know she's a cousin from the blurb; it's not clear from the book itself). Plus her familiar, a woodpecker named Toben, who Athalie locked in a cage away from Camille for years. Birds are common familiars to the Severins.

Now, after a disastrous bloodletting ritual, more than ever Camille has to face up to her past, what her powers and magical affinity are, and who she truly is. Where she belongs. What part of her family she belongs.

What constitutes a family, anyway?


'It is hard to be different in a family like yours, I suppose. The Severin family has never been very good about different.'


Camille learns more about other witch families, and about herself, on her own, true coming-of-age journey of self-discovery, in different ways.

And not everyone has her best interests at heart, not just her aunt...

Witches be crafty.

But also kind of cute. And sassy.

Wait.

Hold up.

A redheaded lesbian hero with a tragic childhood involving an allegedly murdered mother and twin sister. Where have I heard that before?

Anyway, Camille is a great, complex young woman and heroine. As sweet, innocent, sad, scared and oppressed as she often is - not to mention closeted, in her natural powers and sexuality, and her sexuality is power - she seems to be shifting in her moral compass towards the end of the volume, growing darker and more secretive in her development, as a witch and a person. I hope she is self-aware enough not to turn into her aunt, though the self-awareness angle does appear to be the case in this comic, based on its reflections and introspections, and its generational trauma subject matter. Its dark matter.

On a lighter side, Camille is occasionally, surprisingly funny and sassy when she wants to be.

My other favourite characters are: Silvia, a Severin with a facial scar, who wears a veil of mourning at the beginning, and who acts as a housekeeper, and contrary to Athalie's wishes, she is kind, caring, and protective of Camille - could be even more excellent and complex than her; Nyra, a woman from the Dupre witch family, and Camille's love interest, who is literally fiery, has cans of attitude and sass, and takes no bullshit; and Nana Fleur, or Harriet, an old matriarch from the Leroux witch family, who I won't reveal much about due to spoilers, but she is the sweetest, kindest, wonderful-est old lady ever.

I swear, there are no human male characters in 'Muted: Volume 1', at least not present or living. It's fantastic.

It also didn't escape my notice that the evil elitist Severin family are all white, whilst the majority of the other, "poorer" witch families we meet are BIPOC women. And they have disabled members, and members with differing body types. There is a stigma against redheads as well, which further alienates Camille from her darkhaired family (though her cousin Avaline has dyed blond hair).

'Muted: Volume 1' reminds me of an adult version of 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' (no, not 'Chilling Adventures', it is far better than that), and Disney's 'Encanto'. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Miranda Mundt was influenced by more than a smattering of Disney films when working on their dark witchy comic. The lovely and beautiful artwork is similar to the classics (there're touches of manga, too), and I see 'Cinderella', 'The Princess and the Frog' (New Orleans, swamps, shadowy figures, dark magic, tarot cards, hello!), and 'The Little Mermaid' (for spoilery reasons, that have nothing to do with heroines with long red hair) here. Nyra's pet name for Camille is "princess". I can't unsee it.

'Muted' is one of the better witch webcomics I've read. The others I recommend are 'Witchy', 'Unfamiliar', and 'Les Normaux'. All are hugely diverse, unique, unforgettable, well written, and adorable.

Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I don't find 'Muted', labelled under 'horror', to be that scary. Though it could definitely count as a psychological horror and thriller, with its themes of abuse and psychological trauma. Fragmentation is one of its motifs.

It contains great quotes - wonderful, punching lines of dialogue - to boot. A witch's boot, that is. Under a long skirt.

I'm not sure if I'll continue following the series, despite the hell of a mystery and that cliffhanger, and the adorable bonus chapter at the end. But the first published volume is a keeper.

What a cute, cartoony, witchy webtoon!

IT REFERENCES THE 'HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE' ANIMATED FILM! COME ON, I HAVE TO LOVE IT!

Final Score: 4/5

Graphic Novel Review - 'Moonstruck, Vol. 1: Magic to Brew' by Grace Ellis (Writer), Shae Beagle (Artist), Kate Leth (Artist), Caitlin Quirk (Colourist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

'Moonstruck, Vol. 1: Magic to Brew' is part of my current binging of older comics and novels I had read years ago and wanted to give another chance. Sadly, it is one of those where my original opinion hasn't changed, and now I remember exactly why I didn't really care for it the first time.

I'm incredibly sad about it, because on the surface, on paper, 'Moonstruck' has everything I love. I should have loved it. It depicts a fantasy world I would love to live in, with characters that anyone would want to be friends with. It has the makings of a comfy, cosy, soft, saccharine (in a good way), adorable comic, and it definitely shines at the beginning. It has its moments of inspiring creativity, humour, and fun dialogue and banter.

The café! The beverages! The kitties! The abundance of magical creatures living in the same space! The puns! *squee!*

But it breaks my heart to say that this is yet another fairy tale and cosy fantasy comic with a great premise, but is lacking in execution. It loses its momentum, its focus, and its solid structure and characterisation as it progresses.

One main problem is that I get what is going on in each scene, but not the how and why. Everything is contrived, nothing flows well, and it is often confusing and random, despite having a mystery plot supposedly tying it all together.

While most of the characters in 'Moonstruck, Vol. 1' are likeable, beyond cute, and charismatic, it became clear the more I read on just how one note they are, and they are as flimsy, nonsensical, ill-thought out and inconsistent as the story and worldbuilding. Near the end, they would suddenly become unlikeable, and do wildly out of character things for the sake of the plot.

Then there are the minor characters, who are so minor and superfluous that I would forget about them after the one or two pages they are "introduced", or are literally in the background, and then they would appear ages later for the same amount of page time or a little more, and you're expected to know them and care about them. And there are minor characters who are only mentioned once, and then they would appear on-page after a very long period, and again, you're expected to know them immediately and care about them. Overall, they are unimportant and they affect nothing in the overall plot, which is vague and unfocused to begin with.

What happened with the writing and planning stages of this comic?

The motivations of both the heroes and the villains are either unclear, not developed properly, haphazard, or are just unestablished and unexplained. I don't know why anyone does anything, and for what reason. They do whatever the comic wants them and needs them to do, and that's that. It is a lot of randomness, and major plot points and plot turns happening off-page, for reasons I can't fathom.

The ending is... abrupt doesn't begin to cover it. Rushed doesn't begin to cover it. Everything is resolved on the last page, just like that. I was left baffled. Was I seriously supposed to be satisfied by it? I said out loud, "Wait, that's it?", when I got to it and turned the next page to discover that it was it, for this volume. The whole structure and characterisation are a mess.

Don't get me started on the worldbuilding, of which I have the same sort of criticisms, and the nonsense where seemingly all magical and mythical creatures live together in harmony no problem, but apparently only werewolves face discrimination*. At least, only the protagonist, Julie, does, and it's limited to mere teasing and name calling, nothing so hostile that she would, apparently, wish for herself and everyone else to be "normal"... whatever the hell that means in this world and context!

Is "normal" a world without magic? Without magical creatures? What is "normal" based on, in a world such as this? How does magic itself work in this society, and how is it used in day-to-day life? Does it depend on the supernatural being, of which there are a myriad?

All this boils down to: What does Julie want?! What is her deal? Why does she hate being a werewolf?

Does she hate being a werewolf? But she's also dating a werewolf! A fellow BIPOC, plus size lesbian werewolf at that, who doesn't seem to experience any prejudice whatsoever**. Why is Julie so insecure? Why is she the way she is? (I ask the same of the main villain, who suddenly goes "You and I are not so different" on Julie at the end, which comes the %^*#! out of nowhere, and he knows far less about her than the reader does.) Why is the world the way it is?!

Julie is the main character, and this is the setting she lives in. I should know, sure as sugar and concrete, all the answers to the above questions. But I don't.

It is all very poorly established and explained. Confusing, random, frustrating, odd, and poorly written (applying mostly to the last couple of issues).

Another example of poor worldbuilding, and kitchen sink supernatural creature usage: Are ghosts an entirely different species here? Are they dead people? Dead humans?

And vampires are still repelled by crosses. How does Christianity fit in this world?! Is there any faith and religion in this culture and society? The comic's version of vamps also suck blood and turn into bats, yet can go out in the daytime and socialise like humans. Makes sense!

And no matter how hard I try, I cannot see how the comic's in-universe mystery novel framing device to go with its own "mystery" (it barely even counts as one, and we know who the one dimensional bad guys are from the start) has anything to do with anything in the story as a whole. It doesn't. It's irrelevant. The two stories don't relate to one another. Except maybe the mystery novel's final line of dialogue at the end, but that's it, and even that is an extreme reach. The parallels between the two contexts are practically nonexistent, and trying to find a connection only succeeded in giving me a headache.

Now here's another point about the vague and confusing worldbuilding: The mystery novel series that Julie likes, 'Pleasant Mountain Sisters', is a children's 'The Baby-Sitters Club' and 'Sweet Valley High' type, starring generic, skinny white blonde, heteronormative female human leads. The 'Pleasant Mountain Sisters' books are ongoing and popular in a world full of countless fantasy creatures of every kind, and racial, ethnic, LBGTQ+, and body positive diversity everywhere.

Is 'Moonstruck', a soft and sweet colour palette fantasy, a dystopia? Is it set in a postapocalyptic earth? Is this like a Netflix's 'Bright' (ugh!) scenario? 'Moonstruck' contains modern pop culture references, so I don't know what to think. Is 'Pleasant Mountain Sisters' one of its remnants of the "before times" of humans? It barely qualifies as a parody when it's largely played straight.

The random "Ask a Know-It-All' agony aunt advice column single pages at the end of each issue are just that - random and superfluous. Do they add to the worldbuilding? Not really. Are they relevant to the story? One hundred percent no. Are they fun and harmless regardless? Hmm, yeah. Some writing in them is funny and clever. However, they are a far cry from making up for 'Moonstruck, Vol. 1''s numerous flaws.

I know, I'm overthinking everything. I'm taking the silly comic too seriously. But it is all I'm left with when said comic seems to have little coherent thought put into it, especially in the parts where I'm clearly supposed to be taking it seriously.

I hate doing this, because I want to love and adore 'Moonstruck, Vol. 1: Magic to Brew' - a lilac, lively, bubbly, tasty cauldron's brew of my favourite things. But I'm sorry, I can't. I want to with my whole heart, but I can't. My logical storyteller and editor mind won't let me.

No doubt it was made with heart and passion behind it - and the artwork is gorgeous, colourful, soft, lovely, versatile and expressive. It pains me, to give something like 'Moonstruck' a negative-to-middling review like this.

I'm afraid I have to be honest and say, as amazingly diverse (BIPOC rep, fat rep, sapphic rep, nonbinary rep, it's as varied as its supernatural creature features!), adorable, and pretty as this YA fantasy comic book is, I am disappointed by its vague, flimsy, unfocused, random and inconsistent writing, characterisation, and worldbuilding.

Among the very last lines of dialogue in the volume's rushed final page are: "What do we do now?" "Therapy. Lots and lots of therapy."

Maybe find a script doctor too, while you're at it.

Sorry, I'm not impressed, nor am I compelled to want to read the sequel volumes.

What I do want, is to leave a downer review on a positive note. I want to recommend other, better written diverse, cute, cosy fantasy comics. They are:

'Mooncakes', 'The Tea Dragon Society', 'The Tea Dragon Festival', 'The Tea Dragon Tapestry', 'Aquicorn Cove', 'Doughnuts and Doom', 'Wolfpitch', 'Unfamiliar, Vol. 1', 'Unfamiliar, Vol. 2', 'Power & Magic: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology', 'Les Normaux', 'The Baker and the Bard', and 'The Restaurant at the Edge of the World'.

Also 'Legends & Lattes' and 'Bookshops & Bonedust'.

Final Score: 3/5

*Although, there is the implication that ghosts are treated as second-class citizens, as well. They get belittled, insulted, and even physically assaulted by both the good guys and the bad guys. Gah! Who are you, 'Moonstruck'?!

**Is a werewolf born and not made in this universe? It appears to be the case.