Paper Girls
The Complete Story
| Authors | Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Cliff Chiang (illustrator), Matt Wilson (colourist), Jared K. Fletcher (letterer) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2021 (The Complete Story), 2015–2019 (original run) |
| Original language | English |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| Format | Paperback |
| Edition | 2021 |
| Pages | 784 |
| ISBN | 9781534319998 |
| Goodreads | View on Goodreads (opens in new tab) |
| Rating | ★★★½☆ (3.5/5) |
Rule #3: A paperboy sticks to his route, from start to finish.
The edition I read has all the published numbers in a big single omnibus volume. The whole series has been published in different formats several times, starting with the initial single issue run (#1–#30), a 6 volume paperback edition, and at least a further 3 volume edition (each “book” collecting two of the previous volumes). There are digital versions.
They all should contain the same, basically. My recommendation if not going digital is to get the different volumes, but all together, as that’s easier to handle than big omnibuses, but that depends on individual preference (and what you have available, like in my case).
Erin is a paper girl in 1988. On All Saint’s Day she meets three other paper girls, Mac, KJ and Tiffany, and they decide to stick together to support each other on such a crazy morning, just after Halloween.
They end up finding a weird machine, and… things get complicated from there.
The story is engaging and it’s difficult to put down. The beginning especially can be a bit difficult to follow, though, but having it all together in a volume instead of waiting for individual issues helps with that. After a while it also gets a bit repetitive, but still maintains the pace and interest until the end, where I think it loses a bit.
After reading it I feel like there should have been a bit more. Not necessarily more explanations on some things that happen — the ones provided mostly work and there’s no need to be completionist here I think — but I do have a feeling that the story needed a bit more. Endings are hard, though, and this one is not bad, if a bit too telegraphed. The characters are the strongest point and you get attached to several of them.
The weird alphabet. Here a brief expression of regret about an accident that has happened.
As for the art, Chiang is good with face expressions when drawing in detail and showing dynamic movements. I liked it, but I wouldn’t say I found it outstanding.
In summary, it’s a soft recommendation. I did enjoy reading it and certainly don’t regret it. If it looks interesting, please go ahead, otherwise the story may leave you disappointed.
Categories: Comic Tags: Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matt Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher, Format: Trade Paperback, Publisher: Image Comics, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, Time Travel, Format: Paperback Rating:Rating: 3.5 stars