Captain Ginger: The Last Feeder #2 concludes Stuart Moore and June Brigman’s two-part victory lap for AHOY. Last issue proposed the central questions: what happened to the human race, and what happened to/who was Captain Ginger’s father? Do we get the answers in part two? Well, kind of, but it’s AHOY, so you should really expect more than just answers. There’s also the final part in the Partially Naked Came the Corpse prose series, which is an old school serialized novella from a who’s who of legendary writers. AHOY faithful Kek-w closes the series here.
This is a strange comic to review. On one hand, it’s fantastic and well worth the read. On the other, it’s embarrassing to admit to being moved by a story about cats in space. It goes without saying that Stuart Moore can write a good comic, so it’s not exactly a surprise that this two parter is as strong as it is. While there is some pre-existing fondness for Captain Ginger and his crew from the previous series, Moore still builds a mystery and threat within one issue and pays it off in the second, all with enough success to have this reviewer pause reading to feel for the characters. Again, those characters being anthropomorphic cats and dogs.
The script is only half of a comic book, so praise must go June Brigman’s way too. The emotional peaks of the book wouldn’t hit nearly as hard if not for the artwork. Brigman makes each animal distinct and memorable, and on top of that, there’s plenty of action in the book. Whether it’s a heartfelt scene with a character crying or an action-packed shootout, the artwork is varied. That variety is another reason the book stands out. The script and artwork make you care about these cats so that when they start getting shot by lasers you forget just how silly it is and find yourself almost shouting at the book hoping they survive.
With this little two-parter, Moore and Brigman have created a celebration worthy of AHOY’s fifth anniversary. But it also serves as a great introduction to the style of AHOY. For those readers who are looking for something different, The Last Feeder is a fantastic introduction to the books AHOY puts out. “A book about cats in space?” you say before devouring both parts, including the prose, and searching their catalogue for more.
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