Chynna Clugston Flores

I haven't read either Lumberjanes or Gotham Academy before, so I probably didn't enjoy this as much as I could have. There were just way too many characters and the art style doesn't really give them distinct faces, so once they all changed clothes, I had some trouble keeping track of who was who. Aside from a few characters, it was also hard to get a handle on their personalities.. mainly because the story zips along pretty quickly and we're assumed to already know the characters from show more reading their respective graphic novel series.

Story-wise, it starts off being an investigation of a kidnapping but quickly introduces supernatural elements. Although the first half was slow for me, I did like the reveal of the roots of the mystery and thought it was an interesting idea.

In terms of the art, I really liked the illustrations on the front and back covers, which is why I picked up the book in the first place, but was disappointed to find that the actual story inside was drawn in a totally different style with a less coherent and pleasing colour scheme. Some of the action scenes in the second half of the book is also hard to follow, sometimes I had difficulty deciphering what had occurred from panel to panel, like how did this character move from this position to that position, etc.

There were a few things I was intrigued by, like Molly's raccoon/hat and the whole idea of the Lumberjanes as a girl scout-type group, so I do want to check out that series. Gotham Academy's characters on the whole didn't stand out as much to me compared to the Lumberjanes in terms of their interactions, personalities, and visual design. show less

At the center of this story is a proudly anachronistic family of punks in modern-day England. They are generally-happy people with common problems who find themselves mixed up in an implausible madcap adventure. It's a soap-opera, comedy, and children's cartoon in one, and it is written with a level of wit and compassion uncommon in graphic novels.

Note: The sequel to this book (Ground Zero) proves that the written word carries the story even in a graphic novel, because the artwork was awful show more and I still got misty-eyed towards the end. show less

Not rating as I DNF'd at about a third of the way in purely on subjective enjoyment.

Music and movie obsessed anglophile teen, Bleu, is too cool for school and the fools she's stuck with. Hijinks and hyperfixations abound.

I love this in theory and there was a huge element of this being me, though I was more vacillating between incredibly cringe white middle class English kid in Wu Wear, a serious Juggalo phase, and everybody's favourite pretentious black and white thinking 16 year old punk. show more I'm frustrated because the me I was then would have hated this for not being 'pure' to punk or some other bullshit those who have no sense of self so they become entirely evangelical and puritanical about whatever they're into. But now, it's just a bit too juvenile and doesn't grab me enough - these are absolutely me problems subjective taste, no shade here.

A version of me that had the opportunity to be honest about who I really am at that time would have absolutely loved it. And I love that for her.

It's really cute and I just want to like it more than I actually do.

Also, people (in comfortable, safe situations) outside of the UK romanticising it is genuinely hilarious to me. Section 28 was still very much a thing in the time that this was set, so Queer and trans didn't exist for whole generation of us growing up. We existed, but through repression and silence. Thankfully, now we acknowledge we exist. Careful what you wish for, as now they want us exterminated. I think people forget that just because we didn't have Lineham and Rowling doing high profile hatred, this place has always been ultra conservative and hateful. Hell, the only ostensibly leftwing government we had is the one who lied to commit ear war crimes in Iraq!

Ah yes, the classic neurodivergent 'not actually a review just a rant' show less

I came into this book from a hardcore Lumberjanes-loving point of view, and was lost among all the Gotham Academy character interactions. The art was different from strict Lumberjanes art, but the characters were recognizable.

The story was average, starting out as a mystery, then playing with a 1980s theme, featuring teamwork and friendship, and then having the expected happy ending.

Not sure I would continue this crossover series. I prefer my Lumberjanes straight up, without any Gotham Academy.