Reviews 

“Elles” #2

By | September 23rd, 2022
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

I’m sure there is a comic reader out there who mostly reads books like “Elles,” which seems destined to become a Library Journal favorite. Me though? I’m basic. I read a lot of Marvel comics. I write a column on X-Men. I loved “The Walking Dead.” Don’t get me wrong, I love my share of creator owned and independent comics too, but “Elles” is a strange animal to me. I don’t think I liked it per se, but there’s a lot to admire. And if you’re the kind of reader who thinks this book sounds intriguing, it’s definitely worth more than a passing glance.

Cover by Aveline Stokart and Mel Milton
Written by Kid Toussaint
Illustrated by Aveline Stokart

It doesn’t take long for Elle’s new friends to realize there is something different about her. Even Elle suspects there is more to her situation than her therapist is willing to admit. But as every day stress and some bad news start to accumulate, Elle fears that she will reveal another personality that will upend the new life that she is living.

ABLAZE proudly presents Elle(s), a vibrant, imaginative new series. Featuring brilliant, Pixar-esque art from Aveline Stokart, and an engaging story by Kid Toussaint that brings moments of real emotion, mystery, intrigue and humor together during the epic highs and lows of high school.”

“Elles” is published by Oregon based company, Ablaze. They put out OGNs and series with public domain characters adapted from H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. And “Elles” is written by Belgium-born Kid Toussaint, and illustrated by Aveline Stokart, also Belgian. So right away this book reads as a little exotic to me. The kids that make up the ensemble have names like Otis, Linotte, and Maëlys. They attend a school that is both familiar to me (an American) and a little bit off. Everything is too clean, too disciplined, to soft-angled.

This adds an additional uncanniness to a book that already feels pretty dreamlike. You see, Elle isn’t like the other girls. Elle has a secret. She contains multiple personalities, who swap in and out uncontrollably. Also, each personality has a different hair color, but that’s mainly for the benefit of the reader; the other characters don’t seem to notice.

That’s a fine central idea. Multiple personality stories are great! They’re a great way to look at a universal underlying human concern. Usually it’s a theme that lends itself to horror stories, everything from Jekyll and Hyde to M. Night Shyamalan’s Split. But these stories can also be pulpy adventures, as with “Moon Knight.” And there are even stories that explore multiple personalities that are more quiet dramas, like the 2009 show United States of Tara. It’s a great starting point for a story.

What’s strange then is how quiet and grounded the actual plot of “Elles” is. At the start of issue #2, the titular Elle is having trouble at school. People have been commenting on her sudden shifts in mood. She faints while giving a class presentation; the nurse blames low blood sugar. But by the end of the issue, Elle has opened up to a few friends and… it’s fine. They have questions, concerns, but there’s no dramatic confrontation, no moment of realization. Just quiet conversations.

And maybe that’s a story for an underserved audience! Maybe there’s someone out there who watched Moon Knight on Disney+ and thought the story could be improved without all the shooting and magic. “Elles” is a cozy little YA drama about dealing with mental health. I get that. But I wanted more? Maybe it could have done with some comedy- doesn’t have to be anything broad, but some cleverness in the writing might have helped. Or maybe this is simply too cartoonish of an idea to have the characters be so understated. Maybe the book needs an injection of melodrama.

But to be perfectly frank, the story and the dialogue aren’t the real reason to crack open a copy of “Elles.” If you are here, you are probably here for the art. And Aveline Stokart is doing work unlike anyone else I’ve seen in comics. There are lots of elements I recognize, maybe my most familiar touchstone would be art from someone like Babs Tarr. Stokart’s art is extremely digital. The shapes that make up the characters are all nearly identical, in a way that looks copy/pasted. The colors are shaded on a gradient, giving every scene warm, fuzzy lighting. There are a lot of close ups on faces, which gives you space to take in all of the very expressive anime eyes.

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Again though, this art style is pretty far outside my wheelhouse. I’m used to hyper-kinetic comics with garish colors. Here, everything is restrained. There’s a digital focus filter that simulates a camera lens, pointing you towards the important parts of the image and blurring the environment. It’s not an effect that I love. And this very even digital style looks like an online doll maker to me. I love to play with those, but it strikes me as strange in a comic.

All of that in mind, I cannot deny that “Elles” is carefully crafted. The parts that I found challenging or boring are not a failure of vision. This isn’t a comic from creators who don’t know what they are doing. They want to tell this restrained story, and they want to tell it in this way. Sound effects are the most dynamic element of this comic and when they hit, they hit hard. “Elles” is probably not the series for me, but if you like the look of the art or the sound of the story, it’s a comic created by talented professionals.

Final Verdict: 7.0 – Quiet and sleekly modern, “Elles” is sure to appeal to readers tired of superhero bombast.


Jaina Hill

Jaina is from New York. She currently lives in Ohio. Ask her, and she'll swear she's one of those people who loves both Star Wars and Star Trek equally. Say hi to her on twitter @Rambling_Moose!

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