“Lumberjanes #25”
Writer: Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh
Artist: Carey Pietsch
Colourist: Maarta Laiho
Letterer: Aubrey Aiese
Editor: Dafne Pleban
Publisher: Boom! Studios
“And Your Bird Can Sing”
Writer: Chynna Clugston
Artist: Laura Lewis, Mad Rupert
Colourist: Maarta Laiho
Letterer: Warren Montgomery
Publisher: Boom! Studios
A review by Amelia Wellman
It’s a joyous day: it’s the Lumberjanes release day! And, a pleasant surprise, it’s an oversized anniversary edition to celebrate everyone’s favourite light-hearted, lady led adventure! And if it isn’t your favourite light-hearted, lady led adventure it should be! Here’s why!
Issue 25 of Lumberjanes is the start of a fresh, crazy storyline and it centres around kittens! Magical kittens! And a visit from the ladies at the Grand Lodge–but mostly magical kittens! It’s been a few weeks since Ripley became a god and used her powers to bring dozens of adorable kittens into the universe. The brother camp to the Lumberjanes–the Scouting Lads–adopted the kittens but they’ve started running away and showing a few odd characteristics and their Scouting Lad friend Barney is brought in to help find out why. Can the Lumberjanes keep them under control while the Grand Lodge visits the camp?
The second story arc in this oversized edition is a stand-alone adventure titled And Your Bird Can Sing” told as a diary entry by April. It has the Lumberjanes hiking through the woods when they hear an enticing song and feel compelled to follow it. They find a beautiful pond they’ve never seen before and April discovers something pretty bizarre at the bottom of it.
The story, like always, has the girls promising not to get into any trouble and then immediately do just that. It’s magical. Everything they say and do is always light-hearted and fun which is amazing in a world where everything seems to be getting a gritty remake. There’s mysterious going-ons all throughout the Lumberjanes universe and you’re never left longing for a cutie-pie supernatural being to show up and cause some trouble. The last storyline alone covered kelpies, sea-faring werewolves, magical portals of time and space, and the girls earning their sailing badges. How could you say no to something so original?
As far as the art goes, I think Brooke Allen will always be my favourite Lumberjanes artist but Pietsch’s soft shapes and cartoony, expressive character models with Laiho’s vivid colours hold their own charms. It’s definitely easy on the eyes.
In “And Your Bird Can Sing” artists Lewis and Rupert have created the most adorable little Lumberjanes I ever could have hoped for! Their characters are simplistic and really bare minimum but they could not be any cuter. Plus, dot eyes. Anything that reminds me of Stevenson’s cover art is a major plus! Laiho also did the colours for the extra comic so there’s no doubt that it’s solid.
The Verdict
Buy it! If you’re already into Lumberjanes, guaranteed it’s the best thing you’re reading each month, but if you’re not, you’re seriously missing out! The stories are always so fun, the art is tots adorable (yes, it’s so adorable it called for a shortening of the word totally), it breaks gender norms, and it’s got queer and trans characters, inclusivity galore, and magical kittens! If everything was so pure, the world would be a better place.
