A new BOOM! Box series that promises a modern Goonies-type adventure. Do the creators succeed in their attempt to create this? Read on to find out, and beware of some mild spoilers.
Written by Kristen “Kiwi” Smith & Kurt LustgartenCover by Naomi Franquiz
Illustrated by Naomi Franquiz
Colored by Brittany Peer
Lettered by Jim CampbellNothing’s happened in Wilder’s hometown since they filmed that cult kids’ adventure movie there in the 80s… but that’s ancient history. Until one day, she and her friends come upon a centuries-old pirate map drawn by someone named Black Mary… and find out there might be some REAL adventure in their tiny town after all!
Let’s start this off with a bias alert: I will always give a new BOOM! Box series a shot, since some series seem tailor-made for me, even if others are strictly not for me. I was born too late to get in on all the Goonies hype — when I finally saw the movie around age 13, I found it fun but not as much of a classic as my older cousins always hailed it as being. And adventure, while I do tend to have a good time with it, isn’t my preferred genre. Simply put, I was prepared to walk away from “Misfit City” satisfied enough, but with it falling into the “not for me” category.
I was wrong. The creative team hooked me with this single issue alone.
Most of that has to do with the character-first nature of “Misfit City.” Almost the entire issue focuses on the daily lives of the five main characters interacting with coworkers and bosses at their jobs, interacting with family at home, and interacting with each other while hanging out. Each interaction reveals something different about each character, showing their rich outer worlds and implying their rich inner worlds. Each character also has their own voice and personality told through subtleties in the dialogue. Such a character-first approach by Smith and Lustgarten kept me from being bored by genre trappings or from thinking the series would be better for someone else.
Which isn’t to say that “Misfit City” follows any sort of genre trappings — it actually goes out of its way to avoid that. By positioning these characters as citizens of a town made famous by a Goonies-like movie (not so subtly titled Gloomies), they’re as bored with the concept as a reader like me. This story looks to chronicle their rediscovery of the wonder others must feel for adventure movies, after their own overexposure has ripped that joy from their lives. In that sense, it achieves the dual purpose of pleasing both fans of the genre and those who are skeptical about it. This comic isn’t for one specific person; it actively tries to appeal to all, and, as far as I’m concerned, it succeeds.
The down-to-earth feel of the comic would be nothing without the art team. Other than some establishing panels, Franquiz draws few panels larger than a character’s figure. Likewise, very few panels use a unique angle. The vast majority of “Misfit City” shows characters interacting with each other as if the reader is having a conversation with them, or it occasionally shows smaller details of their actions. With such straight-forward visuals, we’re essentially left with only the characters themselves and the small details of the environments around them. This might change in future issues as the adventures take off, but for now, this introduction is all about the character development.
Peer’s colors also factor greatly into the book’s tone. All scenes use a rustic palette that would fit into any swashbuckling pirate story. Greenish blues and grayish beiges take up most of the background, changing slightly as the scene demands. Characters also maintain this earthy combination of colors without ever looking odd for humans. In short, the coloring makes the book look and feel like it takes place in the seaside town of an old adventure movie, which is especially useful when the actual story and characters are busy subverting those tropes.
Besides all the character development, Smith and Lustgarten keep the plot moving swiftly throughout “Misfit City.” A group of tourists interact with two main characters at a coffee shop, then those characters warn the next main character that the tourists are on their way and we see her interacting with them. The next introduction does seem a bit out of nowhere, but once the friends convene afterwards, it all comes together.
Continued belowFrom there, the plot mostly revolves around one character wanting to push forward into exploring something and the others not wanting to. Luckily for readers, these interactions are done over a poker game and in a museum, where the situation and visuals never get boring. The interactions aren’t simple or obvious, either. Each character has their own motivations and reacts differently to each bit of new information, speaking in ways that subtly express their personalities. Most importantly, the plot ends up being a result of the characters instead of the other way around. And with characters as rich as these, that ends up being great storytelling.
In all, I think this is a book that has the potential to reach anyone. It’s a true all-ages tale, it’s character-based, it actively goes against genre trappings, and the art team makes the most of the rather straightforward visuals. Whether you’re young or old, love The Goonies or hate it, check out “Misfit City.” There’s some great comic booking inside.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – A great debut that subverts expectations and has the potential to make a fan out of anyone.
