Bite Sized Reviews: Emily and the Strangers #1

Expected Publication: May 27th, 2014
Emily and the Strangers #1
By: Mariah Huehner, Rob Reger, & Emily Ivie
Dark Horse Comics

In order to win a legendary haunted guitar, Emily is determined to create the most rockin' song the world has ever known!

But can she do it solo?

Emily isn't known well for playing with others, but she's going have to rely on the help of some strangers if she's going to succeed on her musical journey to the true heart of rock 'n' roll!

Review

     I hadn't read an Emily the Strange comic in years, since The Lost Days circa 2009, to be precise about it.  I think what used to appeal to me the most about Emily and her world were two things: she was an outsider like me, and man was that chick mired in Gothic stuff!  I absolutely loved her cats, her laboratory, all the crazy inventions and the sense of a mystery solved at the end of that particular story.  I guess I outgrew this particular character, which makes me sort of sad.  But there were some things I just couldn't deal with in this particular story.

     Since when was being an outcast synonymous with being a complete jerk to everyone else?  Also, the way the story played out with the haunted guitar was extremely trite.  If you're going to make Emily a unique character who "doesn't play well with others," don't entirely bomb that premise by inserting some lame, after-school-special lesson about the value of working with others.  Her working with the other kids to form a band just didn't ring true to her character as portrayed thus far.  And the slang and made-up words got on my nerves after awhile too.  I would recommend this to my teenage self, but my adult self says no dice.  It was cute, a decently drawn comic, but definitely not my thing anymore.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I received this book from Dark Horse Comics, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is May 27th, 2014.*