'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.
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.
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.
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