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A review by hollowspine
The Grave Robber's Daughter by Richard Sala
4.0
Judy Drood, young sleuth, finds her way into a ghost town after car troubles leave her swearing on the side of the road.
The swearing was awesome, I really enjoyed how Sala starts the story out with our heroine not so delicately cursing the world. It let's readers know that Drood is no Nancy Drew, appearances aside. The mystery begins when, in search of a gas station or working telephone, Drood finds the town, creepily named Obidiah's Glen, uninhabited except for rude teens hanging out in the town's carnival (again creepy).
One of my favorite moments in the comic is when, after swearing doggedly at any and all misfortunes, whether it's a broken phone or being startled by a clown, Drood remarks, "Holy Moley," as she witnesses the tentacled death of one teen-aged goon. I also loved, throughout the comic, how Drood solves her problems with two fists and a concealed knife. She doesn't back down and has very little (or no) sentimentality. When she realizes that the kid she was guarding was kidnapped she doesn't say, "Oh noes, poor little Nellie!" Nope, she's just ticked that they got away right under her nose, and she's determined to make them pay.
Both the style and the characters depicted give the book a nostalgic feel, which makes the dialog used throughout the story very funny (for lack of better term). It all seems to fit together though, making a highly engaging and empowering story. I loved how Drood, literally, pulled no punches. There were no sissy slaps from this "chick," and she didn't need any help from the Hardy Boys either.
I'll not be visiting Obidiah's Glen in the near future, to be sure. But, I would love to see more adventures with Judy Drood.
The swearing was awesome, I really enjoyed how Sala starts the story out with our heroine not so delicately cursing the world. It let's readers know that Drood is no Nancy Drew, appearances aside. The mystery begins when, in search of a gas station or working telephone, Drood finds the town, creepily named Obidiah's Glen, uninhabited except for rude teens hanging out in the town's carnival (again creepy).
One of my favorite moments in the comic is when, after swearing doggedly at any and all misfortunes, whether it's a broken phone or being startled by a clown, Drood remarks, "Holy Moley," as she witnesses the tentacled death of one teen-aged goon. I also loved, throughout the comic, how Drood solves her problems with two fists and a concealed knife. She doesn't back down and has very little (or no) sentimentality. When she realizes that the kid she was guarding was kidnapped she doesn't say, "Oh noes, poor little Nellie!" Nope, she's just ticked that they got away right under her nose, and she's determined to make them pay.
Both the style and the characters depicted give the book a nostalgic feel, which makes the dialog used throughout the story very funny (for lack of better term). It all seems to fit together though, making a highly engaging and empowering story. I loved how Drood, literally, pulled no punches. There were no sissy slaps from this "chick," and she didn't need any help from the Hardy Boys either.
I'll not be visiting Obidiah's Glen in the near future, to be sure. But, I would love to see more adventures with Judy Drood.