LUMBERJANES #66 is out from Boom! Box this Wednesday, and it’s leaving readers with the question; is there ever a good time to trust a god or goddess? The answer is probably not. Just ask any expert in mythology or lore.
***SPOILER WARNING****
If the goddess Freya suddenly showed up on your doorstep, would you trust her? What about if she showed up on your campgrounds? Well, regardless of how you feel on the matter, that’s exactly what the Lumberjanes did in Lumberjanes #66.
One would think that their previous encounters with mischievous gods and goddess would be enough to teach them a lesson, but then again the Lumberjanes have always had an overly strong sense of adventure. So this all likely seemed like another fun story to add to the list, right? And in their defense, Freya is the sort of goddess that would be attracted to and compliment the Janes of Lumber.
Lumberjanes #66 split the campers into two groups. One team was off with Freya – joyfully drinking up all the juice in the land. And the other was on an alien hunt, while also talking about feelings and stuff. The balance between these two plots was comical and sometimes absurd – and thus perfectly in fashion with the Lumberjanes. It’s clear that Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh know how to write a perfectly balanced Lumberjanes issue.
It was delightfully refreshing to see a cheeky and mythologically accurate Freya running amok with the ‘Janes. Here was a Freya full of boasting, with broad shoulders and all of the knick-knacks her fables have spoken of. There’s something intensely satisfying about seeing gods and goddesses respectfully shown within comics.
Freya’s big personality was almost too much for these pages. Between her loud exclamations, her plotting, and a jealous Diane, there was hardly any room for the other Roanoke girls to have a moment. But that’ll surely change soon.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Lumberjanes were off hunting aliens? It was comical watching them follow the trail of a goddess, and all the while convinced they were about to stumble upon little green men. It is a classic Lumberjanes moment, in that sense.
As was the heavy inclusion of emotions; though it came from an unexpected source. Once again, love is in the air. But it isn’t our queen couple for once. A new relationship is being hinted at, while the two lovers are split between groups, there’s little room for doubt about how these two feel.
The mythological elements steadily bled into Lumberjanes #66. Freya was a delight – even if she behaved the way of any god or goddess, and did exactly as she pleased. Her portrayal in this issue was perfection. She was broad of shoulder, bold of spirit, and full of life. And let’s not forget all of the details that made her character feel more like herself. Everything from her Falcon’s Cloak to her brother Freyr’s Hanky has found its way into the issue.
Kanesha C. Bryant (artist) and Maarta Laiho (colorist) are the two responsible for making this issue a delightful and visual read. And they clearly had some fun here. Freya’s antics were larger than life in some instances. In other ways, she was made more child-friendly (such as the pile of juice boxes instead of the obvious alcohol it could have been).
Lumberjanes #66 had one of the best uses of a montage in quite some time. It showed a decent length of time, but more importantly, it showed off how even the Lumberjanes can find it exhausting trying to keep up with a goddess.
Finally, Aubrey Aiese was the letterer for this issue, and her work was the finishing touch needed to this tale. Between Freya and Diana, we had multiple characters speaking it what was essentially all-cap locks, but Aiese managed to show this without it being too jarring or frustrating for readers.
Lumberjanes #66 was one of those fun issues where you just find yourself waiting for the other shoe to drop. Or perhaps that feeling only comes to readers who also immerse themselves in lore. Regardless, it was fascinating watching the Lumberjanes interact with yet another goddess – not to mention watching two totally different goddesses interact in such a manner. The next issue is sure to be a chaotic one! What do readers think will happen?
