Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur — a wonderfully robust title, rampant with the childlike vibrancy that remind us addle-brained adults of who, first and foremost, the adventures of the caped and cowled are crafted for — has hit the shelves with a reissued book: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: Bad Buzz.
This collection contains three MG&DD stories: first, the culminating issues of the first major arc of the 2015 series, next the titular single-issue one-off highlighting the hazards of pesticidal nicotine and cigarettes on human and bee populations alike in a meaningful PSA format, and lastly a showdown between Lunella and an especially cantankerous Princess Fisk.
Together, they tell a story of a Moon Girl whose awesome and unequaled intellect makes life’s irksome, rudimentary problems — cosmic, ecologic, interpersonal and otherwise — a relative breeze. Armed with a boxing glove gauntlet, utility belt with many o’gadget, and spring shoes, Lunella takes to the streets defending her little corner of the Universe. In the Lower East Side, around Yancy Street, Lunella saves the universe, the bees, and P.S. 20.
With each successive story, the risk shrinks exponentially in scope (from the demolition of the entire universe, to an ecological disaster, and then finally to the future of her singular elementary school) while the conflict and tension only personalize and increase. This makes for an absolutely delightful read whose narrative narrows in concept until settling solely on the priorities of a very, very, very smart nine-year-old.
Lunella is a super genius and master inventor. She lives authentically and fills the panels with character, wit, and plenty of attitude; captured oh so well by Natacha Bustos’ punchy art and Tamra Bonvillain’s loud coloring, making a flawless, toontastic duo. Together, they bring a very new but quintessential brand of comic magic, delivering Lunella Lafayette to readers on a pedestal perfect for every single grade-schooler in the entire world.
If you have kids of your own and want to be a witness in real time to how comic books make the world a better place, then buy this book as a gift. If you yourself want to be reminded that the ten year-old you is still alive inside, under the years of heaped-up existential dread and utility bills, then read this awesome book about a nine-year-old and her towering, tenacious, red t-Rex.
The stories together preform competently in tandem, making a clear compilation/collection trade paperback. Spanning issues #25-36 of the MG&DD title, the themes hold true between the separate pieces and are similar enough to relate while allowing the slight variances to play off each other, giving enough contrast and depth to intro well into the characters within. The easy, unassuming conversational humor and deft character work of Brandon Monteclare’s soft writing, combined with some of the best artist talent in the biz make for a real worthy read.
And even if you hate everything else, you have to at least respect the all-time most appropriate and insightful use of a Doombot to date.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.