Moonlighters #1
Writer: Katie Schenkel
Artist: Cal Moray
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Editor: JD Boucher
Assistant Editor: Ana Epstein
Getting bogged down by the typical superhero/super villain formula is an easy trap to fall into. It’s a mesmerizing form of conditioning that robs you of the cuter comics that are just pure fun. Mostly, leaving them in your rear vision mirror.
Moonlighters plays out as a queer Scooby gang meets teen werewolf sleepover adventure in the town of Grimm. The characters look to have been torn from the archives of Disney’s creative department, both in how they look and how they feel – right down to the lessons they are taught in less than thirty pages.
The campy leanings of this book will tickle the fancy of the younger reader just as it would the older audience. It’s refreshing change for those who aren’t tiring of Archie but are craving for a little more Werewolf in their life. The art says no to sharp shading and bolder lines. Instead, consisting of softer line work and palettes that relay the feel and tone of this issue.
The story centres around Renee, a girl who has recently been scratched by an on campus Werewolf, only to seek help from a detective agency who specialises in the supernatural beasties because *SURPRISE SURPRISE* they are werewolves. Accidental comic relief occurs as Renee helps the gang rescue the cat of a nearby witch that results in her being offered a Werewolf friendly dorm to stay in. It’s a progressive supernatural take mirroring the modern coming of age story.
Verdict:
Pick it up. If you’re one of those cats who enjoys Archie Comics’ Sabrina the Teenage Witch then this is right up your alley. It’s a queer take on your first day at university with just a dash of supernatural. It’s something special for that someone who’s felt different or just a little out of place. A light and easy read.
