This issue of “Oddly Normal” presents the moment in which the hero begins her journey. It’s Platform 9 3/4, the rabbit hole, somewhere over the rainbow, or second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning. There’s no going back now because there are lessons to be learned, quest to set off on and beasts to be slain. This is the moment that asks us to suspend disbelief. We should delight in the luck of our hero; that this fortuitous string of coincidences, or convergence of fates, or series of unfortunate misunderstandings lead her to this new and wonderful place. She must be transported before she can be transformed, and we are invited along for the ride.
Written & Illustrated by Otis Frampton
Oddly Normal’s parents and house may have vanished off the face of the earth, but things go from bad to weird when her dotty Great Aunt arrives on the scene.
Otis Frampton explores that precarious moment between childhood and becoming an adult in “Oddly Normal” #2. What if, in that time of change where the enchantment of being a kid is being stripped away, instead of being initiated into the harsh truths of being a grown-up in the real world you were plunged head-first into a world made of imagination and charm?
This is precisely what happens to the title character of this series in this issue. After wishing her parents out of existence, Oddly is transported to Fignation, a land full of every flight of fancy and whimsical notion one can conceive. She is being forced to confront the reality that magic exists, and that it is a part of her. This series follows the tradition of so many children’s stories that attempt to extend the childlike sense of wonder by persuading young protagonists and readers that there is a world just beyond our own in which fantasy is reality. “Oddly Normal” follows the example of classics like The Wizard of Oz, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan and more recently the Harry Potter series.
The series tries to delay the onset of adulthood using the most powerful antidote there is: magic.
Oddly is a convincing and relatable young character. While her circumstances are extraordinary, her concerns and grievances are almost universal. Her aunt arrives at the scene of her parents’ disappearance, initially ignoring Oddly’s attempts to tell her what has just happened. This is an example of the common adolescent idea that grown-ups never listen. Oddly is lead to believe that her mother’s assertions that her homeland, Fignation, is a dangerous placeare simply not true. This plays into the sense many young people have that they know better than everyone else, or that adults are only trying to spoil their fun. While her mother may have been trying to protect her, her aunt’s assessment of the situation makes it seem that her mother was doing little more than deceiving her. Treading the line between abandonment and freedom, Oddly is allowed to strike out on her own, an opportunity that will allow her to learn what she is capable of.
Frampton constructs a convincing voice for this youthful heroine. Her narration is written in the present progressive tense. This creates a sense of immediacy, as well as telling us that her observations are not filtered through the lens of memory. We are privy to her current understanding of events, and this helps reinforce her youthful perspective. This choice allows readers to be transported back to the familiar, but perhaps forgotten or obscured, experience of being young.
Primarily focusing on Oddly and Auntie in the second issue of this series, Frampton ingratiates this new character with the audience. Auntie brings the whimsy and dreaminess of Fignation into our world. Lost in her own thoughts and playing by her own rules, Auntie seems to operate on a different frequency than most adults. She could be read as an eccentric fairy godmother figure in Oddly’s story. Her fanciful personality helps nudge Oddly toward embracing her own mystical nature. Their interaction creates more questions than answers, peaking the curiosity of the audience. Frampton renders this scene with an animated exuberance. The characters’ expressions are exaggerated and effervescent creating an airy tone for the story.
Continued belowOddly becomes a conduit for awe, as she learns to embrace wonder and the reality of magic in this issue. Frampton’s choice to introduce otherworldly elements gradually helps engage readers, and encourages the audience to dismiss their disbelief little by little. One example of the progressive integration of magic is Auntie’s appearance. First materializing as an older human woman, a sorcerous blast reveals her true form, a green-skinned witch, complete with pointy ears and a mostly-bald head. This same technique of introducing something recognizable and then stripping away the familiar elements is employed when Oddly is actually transported to Fignation.
Waking up in a house that seems to be her own, Oddly goes downstairs to meet our first true ambassador of the extraordinary, a charming monster of gentleman called, Lyman C. Preston. Lyman is a decidedly unfamiliar creature, though his vocation (door-to-door salesman) and his wardrobe (a smart chapeau and waistcoat) echo our reality. Having introduced the title character to one unexpected element, Frampton then completely commits to this new, topsy-turvy reality with the moment of revelation that is the undeniable visual highlight of this issue. Oddly’s first glimpse of Fignation is truly remarkable.
Alive with an buoyant energy, Frampton’s single illustration of this wonderland captures the imagination and bubbles with possibility. Everything that has ever inspired a child to peer beyond the ordinary is there in one place. From nursery rhymes to science fiction, Frampton has used every genre of children’s literature to fill this page to the brim with magic.
Earnestly charming and curiously sincere, Frampton’s “Oddly Normal” #2 captures the delight of dreaming unencumbered by the constraints of the real world. Anchored by a dynamic and engaging protagonist, and exploring an unpredictable world this title promises to bring readers on a journey worth taking. As Oddly Normal comes of age in a fantasy world she will remind the audience of the joy of believing in magic.
Final Verdict: 7.7 – This story is full of magic and potential.
