The Lettuce Girl #1by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 There's a girl in a tower, kept by an old woman wanting a companion. It looks like a Rapunzel story — at least at first glance. The old woman is visited by another (who has a gingerbread house) and is reminded how all of her past companions / children (from other people) have left her. She expects the same from her tower girl, so she's now trying to grow one instead.I'm intrigued. The opening is a bit confusing, at least until you see the end of this issue, and I'm still not sure why it was used as the opening of this issue. Then, I'm wondering why I'm reading a rehash of "Rapunzel." However, the next part is where things get interesting. I love twists on classic tales, including new viewpoints. Suddenly, I'm very curious about these crones and all the fairy tale stories they're tied to. They spend time talking about all her past failures, her knowledge that this current girl will also leave her, and then we see her trying to grow her own child in a jar from a mixture of who-knows-what. It's just enough story to get me hooked on the twist to a familiar tale. Now I'm curious and excited to see where the story goes after this introduction. I love the hand-made quality to the comic itself. The paper is nice, but something durable, and it's bound with a string. That gives it a very personal touch. The lettering looks done by hand, but is quite readable. I enjoy Sophia Wiedman's art more, the more I see of it. It's simple yet very enjoyable. She doesn't need big detailed eyes to convey expression or overwrought clothing or backgrounds to show us how and where people live. Very nice. I love the image of the crone leaving the tower through the snowy forest — what an excellent portrayal of setting and atmosphere. The price is $5 which is workable though I'm not sure I would pay that much if it weren't for the little hand-made aspects; that being said, I might be more inclined to pay it if the story in its entirety is really good. Overall, The Lettuce Girl is a good read, visually appealing, and stirs my curiosity to read more. Written: June 2, 2010
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