I'm really surprised at how much I'm enjoying Courtney Crumrin, because the "goth comics" are generally not my thing, and that's what it looked to be at first glance. However, Courtney has as much in common with Harry Potter as it does with Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, not quite wholesome enough to be the former and not quite sick enough to be the latter, hitting the middle ground very nicely. This is a comic that I can easily see appealing to teenage girls with an interest in Lenore and Johnny, but it also has a general appeal that any reader could get into, based largely on a wicked sense of humor, some imaginative artwork and a very likable and strong lead character.
Each issue of Courtney has been a self-contained tale with some over-arcing character development, reminiscent of the style that Judd Winick uses on Barry Ween. Each issue has taken a look at a common young or teenage problem with an eye towards how it works for someone with a strange and unusual background like Courtney's. The issue of bullies, popularity and young love have all been addressed, and this issue it's that time-honored tradition of babysitting. Of course, this being Courtney Crumrin, her babysitting problems have less to do with changing diapers and more to do with changelings replacing the baby.
I found the changeling to be a hilarious character, and his mischievous behavior was actually pretty likable. I also enjoyed that Courtney remained unflappable and smart in the face of this unusual turn, and though her narration betrays an unsure mind, that certainty never left her outward appearance. Her methods of interrogating the changeling provided plenty of laughs, and her reaction to the talking cat, the Harpy guards and the changeling's attempts to scare her were all a lot of fun as well.
Throughout this series, we've seen that there are unusual things lurking in the dark of Courtney's new home and new hometown, and that she seems to be a magnet for them. I was really impressed by the revelations of Goblin Town in this issue, as it opened up a variety of potential stories and reminded me of the whimsical "world beneath ours" of Hogwart's or the realm of Faerie. It didn't hurt that Naifeh did a stunning double-page splash of Goblin Town, giving the reader a great idea of what it was meant to be.
With a mixture of goth sensibilities and a wicked sense of humor, Ted Naifeh has really found a perfect blend in Courtney Crumrin. There's a lot more to explore in her world, and each issue gives us a little more information, but still leaves me wanting more.
