Rick Smith and Tania Menesse's oddly holiday-themed indy comic-book series continues, and this time, they tackle Valentine's Day... sort of. This series continues to maintain its offbeat charm and bizarre but almost lyrical phonetic dialogue. The creators take a look at seasonal customs in Western culture and point out our own foibles through some fantastic and charmingly innocent characters.
The yuldetide season is pretty much over and done with, and the people in the neighborhood begin taking down their lights and tossing out their fir trees... much to the chagrin of little Thursday Friday. She refuses to let that winter soltice season come to an end in her house. Meanwhile, an odd little man named Cherub literally plays Cupid in the area, piercing the heart of the recently hibernating Shuck as well Thursday's tree.
Smith's simple character designs and sparse backgrounds certainly suit the quiet, innocent tone of the story. On the other hand, the use of grey tones in every single panel also brings a dark, eerie quality into play, but that suits the weird nature of the book as well. Smith's style reminds me of a cross between those of Andi (Breakfast After Noon) Watson and James (Monkey Versus Robot) Kochalka.
There are two stories at play in this issue, and they end up crisscrossing toward the end. The first is Thursday Friday's refusal to let go of Christmas-time. Her feelings are universal, I think, but the quirky dialogue and mature outlook that Smith and Menesse have granted her character make her views stand out more and spark a bit more reflection in the reader.
The other story is an ongoing plotline about Shuck's quest to be reuinted with his dead lover from his days in the netherworld. It humanizes this demon among men, but given its link to previous issues, new readers might be a bit lost as to the special relationship he shares with Gaia and why it's so difficult for the two of them to be together. Still, this point of accessibility is a minor concern in what is, overall, a uniquely entertaining package.
