Dungeon Crittersby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 9 The Dungeon Critters investigate a sinister botanical conspiracy that involves Chirp's king and queen parents and Chirp's baron frenemy, as well as a look-alike for June. This adventure has perils to life and friendship and dangers of the heart.This review is of an uncorrected proof. The graphic novel is slated for release in September 2020. I really wish there was a page at the beginning to tell me who's who; without it, it took me a bit to get a handle on the characters. Chirp appears to be the leader; she's a frog that uses female pronouns (and when they're robbed of their clothes, Chirp, like the other ladies, is left a top, insinuating a reason for that) but is a "prince", which leaves me wholly confused for most of the book. But, given how wonderfully LQBTQIA-friendly this read is, not having a clear picture on her is perfectly acceptable. She's very gung ho -- act first, plan later. Also, she has a crush on another female character, who may reciprocate the crush, though I have questions about their relative ages. Juniper (June) is a female Golden Retriever -- the healer for the team, the smart one, and a user of plant magic (which is very important for this quest). June has a love / frustration relationship with Rose, a female cat with fire magic (and obviously a penchant for arson as the solution to everything), who always likes to look fancy and is a master of puns, using them at every opportunity. I ADORE their relationship and how it builds through the book, with much humor and many deeply touching scenes. I also like how Rose is especially sensitive to and understanding of June's shy nature and introverted tendencies. Rounding out the group is Goro, a male lizard (I think) who is also the muscle (I love how small is ax is!). He is later revealed to have a boyfriend (the reveal of who the boyfriend is has a perfect touch of humor to it). I like how he's the strong silent type that also has a big heart (including being great with kids) and plenty of intelligence, and how he's all about the free food. I also like how he bonds with the giant snake they come across. This team sometimes seems odd, but they balance each other well. If anything, June seems like the misfit nerdy introvert, but she is definitely an equal team member. On the villain side we have The Baron Foxworthy, Chirp's frenemy. The Baron is a male fox with a female fox daughter, Verona. The Baron has been scheming and plotting with The Duchess Helena von Fancypaws, who looks just like June (but has an important difference in magic as well as personality). These characters are all hiding something, and that makes them all the more interesting. There are some fantastic dungeon crawling scenes, complete with most tropes and traps you'd expect. Rose getting distracted by the laser beam room is too funny. There's a giant turtle monster, for a touch of action and humor in a transition scene. The show-stealer is the thorny plant, which is an evil plant with its own powers! The ending fight scene is some serious stuff! The art blew me away, while the plant's powers blew our heroes away. June getting framed for a crime seems a bit of stretch; Chirp really should have known better than to doubt her friend (the one in the group who really truly wouldn't have a bad bone in her body), and this doubt bothers me immensely. It's the one plot point that doesn't make any logical sense. However, it is used well to push forward the Duchess's plan (especially since she and June look alike) and creates drive for certain heroic characters. This whole section really pulls at the heartstrings, and I loved reading every humorous and agonizing twist and turn of the trial. The teamwork ending has strong Sailor Moon vibes as Rose, Goro, and Chirp lend a hand to June's magic. It's a powerful scene. The Baron's fight with his daughter and the Dungeon Critters' fight with Fancypaws reach a climax at about the same point. The result of the first has an effect on the result of the second, making the defeat of Fancypaws both surprising and appropriate. The design for Fancypaws once she fully reveals herself, and the thorny visuals for her words, gives her a perfectly evil flair that adds to the action and emotion of the final battle. She's a terrific villain! The art is amazing! The character designs are unique and memorable. The facial expressions carry so many scenes, especially exaggerations for humor. The coloring is beautiful, setting the tone for each space and scene. The whole book is vibrant -- the characters and scenes jumping to life! I whole-heartedly enjoyed reading this. There's tons of humor, action, and intrigue, but it's the character interactions that make this story special. And while it's a wonderful stand-alone read, I hope there will be more adventures to come. Written: August 22, 2020
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