When word of a Zero Girl first arose online, I was surprised. Pleased, but surprised. I hadn't thought the book had garnered sufficient attention to merit a followup, and I'm delighted to be wrong in this case. Kieth blends surreal plot elements and visuals with down-to-earth characterization that make for entertaining and thought-provoking reading. The characters are likeable but far from perfect. Kieth use of role reversals for this series is wonderful, but at the same time, he doesn't require the reader to be familiar with the first Zero Girl limited series to enjoy this one.
Fifteen years after Amy Smooster's climactic teenage crisis, Tim, her one-time guidance counsellor and pseudo adult love interest, turns to Amy for help. Tim's daughter is exhibiting some of the same traits as Amy once did, both in terms of personality, unnatural abilities and their connection with shapes. Though Tim and Amy do not speak directly, Amy decides to help. Tim's daughter -- Nikki, who can persude others with the power of her mind -- is immediately drawn to Amy, and Amy tries to figure out if she's looking to get close to Tim again... or if it's Nikki that appeals to her.
Kieth's exaggerated style focuses more on symbolism than realism, and it makes for quirky, expressive visuals. Rat is portrayed as a misshapen creature, not the outcast teenage girl she really is, and Nikki's occasional oddball appearance reinforces that she's different. The adult Amy really shines here. It's easy to see why Nikki and Tim are drawn to her, but at the same time, Kieth maintains a sense of everywoman about her. She has a paunch, and her glasses give her something of a nerdy look at times. But she remains thoroughly attractive... not in spite of those traits, but in part because of them.
The greatest strength of this story is how Amy finds the tables turned on her, and she's able to more easier relate to what she put Tim through back when she was a teenager. An for new readers, Kieth provides plenty of exposition so as to let them in on the "joke." The role reversals aren't limited to Amy either. Tim is now the one who's completely lost and confused, perhaps even moreso than his daughter. His crumbled confidence is an element I hope is further explained and explored over the course of the series.
Also interesting is how the characters really aren't all that likeable. Nikki is a total hypocrite when it comes to Rat's sexuality and her own. Tim's avoidance of Amy and spineless demeanor in general isn't terribly mature. And Amy's reappearance in Tim's life may stem from less than altruistic motives. In other words, the characters come across as real, screwed-up people, regardless of the fantastic circumstances in which they find themselves.
