Courtney Crumrin On-going Series: 5

            First of all it’s Friday the 13^th and no I am not making any stupid jokes referencing the films. In honor of this special day that was once in celebration of females everywhere- See children just how far we’ve come?- I have decided to pick a comic of my past that is just now starting to release new issues and is about an amazing female lead! When I mean my past I mean high school years, which is bridging on a decade. Shut up. Anyways really the only main point I want to make about this comic is.

            Thank you Universe for giving me Courtney Crumrin. I found the first trade volume years ago by pure chance. I was looking for the next book in some series- I can’t even tell you which now- and a light purple book kind of fell out of the bookshelf. It was clearly in the wrong section since I was in the High Fantasy section and this was obviously a comic book but one look into that cheerless stare of Courtney herself and I was sold. Thank god the story was actually brilliant because if it wasn’t I was sure to have suffered a content-heartbreak. I suffered a major one with Terry Brooks not long after finding Courtney Crumrin. Those content-heartbreaks are nothing but frustration, tears and throwing the book across the room.

            Over the years I have re-read this series so many times that I am shocked over the fact that they are still in one piece. The plotlines are amazing as well as the characters. The art is self took me a bit of time to get into but after the second story in the first trade I started to love it.

             The main character Courtney is probably the best female character out there that we’ve got so far. She’s only in her early teens but already she is strong, independent and of individual thought. Also she’s badass since she befriends a child-eating goblin and sort of makes him her bitch. Later on the reader is introduced to this goblins cute but crazy little brother. His tongue is to big so he can’t speak properly. It’s so cute!

            You also have Courtney horrible parents who care more about their image and the rich people around them then their own daughter. Fortunately for Courtney she has this amazing uncle that steps in begrudgingly. It’s actually extremely on the adorable side. Even if he’s like a hundred years old.

            Also Courtney visits the Twilight Kingdom and the characters there are amazing. No detail is spared here. The author/artist fleshes out everything from the architect to the food. Storyline aside the imagery is simply amazing. It’s both haunting and beautiful with a dash of Goth but not an overwhelming amount. The style is very Johnny Vasquez but is not as limited. Ted Naifeh pushes away from the macabre to give a more rounded image. I am completely in love with it.

            The tales of Courtney stopped being released around 2005-2006 but I kept looking just incase. It paid off! This past May on Free Comic book day of all days I found a new issue. Oni press has decided to pick it back up. For how long? I don’t know but nevertheless I am thrilled.  I have already picked up the first of the 2012 series and am not disappointed. Still amazing, still breathtaking and still little hesitation over handing out karmic punishments to little shits. In the first trade a bastard bully gets eaten and in one of the later trades we have a girl that befriends Courtney and later on steals magic books. She tries to make her self bigger and better with magic without learning consequences, which ends in her getting her just desserts. A lot of comics/books/movies/etc don’t like to write in karmic punishments to anyone under eighteen. In Courtney Crumrin, they don’t care. It’s extremely refreshing.

            I should really end this while I can since if I keep going on it’ll just be a fangirl worshipping of Ted Naifeh and his little inventions.

            Courtney Crumrin: 5 out of 5. Yeah gaze on that since it’s not going to happen again for a long while. Honestly this comic is all you want in a macabre, morbid and ghoulishly little tale for pre-teens. It’s intelligent as well as being thought provoking. The stereotypes (like her horrible parents) are well played out and are not mind numbing. Her great-uncle is surprisingly warm while being a rigid old man. Over all an amazing read for anyone and everyone.