Emily and the Strangers #1 (of 3)
Written by Mariah Huehner & Rob Reger
Art by Emily Ivie
Created by Rob Reger
Review by Joey Braccino
“My mind is a terrible thing to waste. Which is why I cram it with odds, ends, and all the best kind of brain junk.”
You’d be hard-pressed to find another book on the stands like Emily and the Strangers. Rob Reger’s alterna-classic Emily the Strange franchise spans multiple media: comics, young adult novellas, clothing, stickers, etc. Our eponymous heroine is a DIY punk-rock wunderkind inventor with straight bangs, a monochromatic wardrobe, and a gaggle of feline friends. In this new miniseries from Dark Horse, Emily the Strange battles her boredom by putting a band together to win a haunted guitar.
Filled to the brims with humor, wit, wordplay, and smarts, Emily and the Strangers is the perfect comic for just about any reader. Girls and boys young and old can and will enjoy the off-beat adventures of Reger’s spunky protagonist. Sure, the genius female Emily probably caters to a particular reading demographic, but frankly, any comic that features a character that exclaims “FOR THE LOVE OF PHYSICS!” should jump to the top of any pull-list regardless of gender or age. Replete with detailed schematics for fantastical inventions, slapstick humor involving cats and steampunk radios, and cephalopods, Reger and Huehner’s script is fresh, original, and entertaining.
Emily Ivie’s aesthetic is incredible. The artwork is perfectly suited to the feel of the script, and Ivie successfully spans steampunk, goth, punk, and pop genres all while maintaining a simplistic style appropriate to the All Ages aim of the book. It’s gorgeous and creative, and the panel lay-outs in particular are innovative and visually intriguing.
Verdict
Buy. It’s zorking awesome. Emily the Strange is one alternative heroine that more people need to know about. And now that Emily’s putting a band together, you know the (mis)adventures are going to get even more zorking mad.
