Ted Naifeh’s Courtney Crumrin #1

Written and Illustrated By: Ted Naifeh

Coloured By: Warren Wucinich

Edited By: Jill Beaton

Designed By: Keith Wood

Oni Press

Courtney Crumrin is an outcast of the highest order, even her parents hold little interest in her life. Luck for her, however, after her family moves in with Uncle Aloysius she finds within him a confident, guide and affectionate parental figure. In order to ensure the safety of Courtney and the progression of her mystic abilities, Aloysius keeps a close eye on her at home and trusts a fellow witch as her protector during school hours since her peers tend to turn out evil. Courtney Crumrin‘s tales have always been exciting and brilliantly played out but, with it’s first ongoing series and addition of coloured art, Ted Naifeh has managed to make this step up a notch on the awesome scale before you even read the book.

Assuming that top bit made no sense to you and this series is one of which you have never heard, don’t shy away from it feeling as though you have been left behind. Ted Naifeh, with a formidable effort, made this issues perspective take place through a new characters eyes allowing for a fresh discovery of Courtney’s absurd, yet, enticing life. Full coloured collections of the previous mini-series’ are also due to come out soon giving way for a more in depth enjoyment of this issue due to it’s subtle, but, enjoyable nods to the previous entries.

Holly Hart’s dad is a big-time, low-talent, writer with an itch for the big life. You know, big house and big dreams. Unfortunately for Holly that meant she would be relocated to a new town and a new school, only even with these changes her life appears the same: outcasted, bullied, and taunted for sport. The friendship she would soon find with Courtney, however, changes everything. After taking witch training from her new best friend, Holly quickly takes advantage and abuses her newly learned powers. After watching her friend dig a grave she had previously dug, Courtney takes Holly’s misuse and exploitation of the world she knows and adores into her own hands and proves that no matter which side you stand upon, evil is defined by action and not intention.

I am loving the inclusion of Holly and her fast-paced and abusive nature, it reminds me a lot of Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer – a witch with good intentions, but, bad critical thinking skills and an even worse sense of consequence. It is exciting to watch Courtney, as the experienced witch, pick apart and destroy her only friendship over ammature mistakes made by an inexperienced student, most of which she had done herself. She is taking on an almost parental role in Holly’s bold and quick intrusion of the invisible mystical world in which they abide with. Where this relationship will head and whether they will become enemies or closer allies, I wait impatiently to discover.

There has always been a love hate relationship between me and Naifeh’s art. In the previous series’ I often found it to pale in comparison to the grand scheme of Courtney’s adventures. It seems the issue this entire time was that it needed some added life via Wucinich’s appropriately simple, and eye catching colours. You would be amazed at how big of a difference such a basic and likely alteration to the originals could make. It is truly awe-inspiring in relation to the plots dark yet light hearted themes, proving this to be a perfect artist/colourer combination,  indeed.

Don’t let this fun and originally styled series die like many worthy, quality independent series’ do! Pick it up from your local retailer, I ensure it’s shenanigans will be worth the buy!

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