The October Girl by Matthew Dow Smith follows Autumn Ackerman, who, at 18 years old, has already become disillusioned with life. Her father left, and so to help pay the bills, she took a dead-end job at a coffee shop. With no possibility of college or a better future for herself, she reflects on how her childlike whimsy was taken from her. No more imaginary friends, slaying monsters, or going on grand adventures; her everyday life was now a mundane existence she had come to dread. That is, until her imaginary friend Barnaby reveals himself to her, wounded and asking for help. Now Autumn must discover the truth behind these creatures who call themselves “the Night Folk,” whose existence has inspired most of the folklore we know.
WRITING/STORY
The October Girl sketches a beautifully layered tone, one that blends quiet melancholy with a whisper of wonder. As we meet Autumn, she has lost all hope that the world could have any mystery left in it. So when she does reunite with Barnaby, it is both filled with happiness and an impending sense of dread, due to his injuries and the message he carries. While the initial chapters are heavy on setting up the world, the payoff feels worth it as we learn more about the characters and dive deeper into the story, and the side characters, who at times seem to outshine Autumn herself.
The conversational writing is top-notch, having the needed expositional text while remaining natural to how regular people would speak. Autumn also remains a relatable protagonist throughout; her decisions always seem reasonable and understandable, yet never in a predictable way. While young and emotional, she carries herself with a lot of wisdom and life experience, as one would expect from her past.
ART DIRECTION
Smith’s art style is quite enjoyable throughout, but really picks up steam towards the second half of the volume. The outlines are very heavy, and the shading is purposefully very rough, especially when compared to the nuanced character design. However, these decisions give The October Girl an easily distinguishable style that has clear influences from those like ND Stevenson (Nimona, Lumberjanes) and Mike Mignola (Hellboy, Lobster Johnson). Smith also expertly plays with depth and shading, allowing his framing to showcase a lot more emotion than his purposefully simplistic designs could have portrayed on their faces. The one thing I wished to have seen more of was the lettering. For the most part, the speech bubbles and their contained text remain stagnant throughout this comic. Even in pivotal or emotional moments, there is no emphasis on the lettering nor bubble change, and in the rare moments that action sounds are used, they just as quickly stop.
The color in this comic is a highlight of all other parts of Smith’s art. Although understated, like the rest of the stylistic choices, it beautifully marries all the artistic components. Certain pops of color, like Autumn’s signature red scarf or the fireflies, are very bold, clear choices; however, I found that the most impressive pages were the ones that were littered with color, yet the subjects and focus remained clear.
VERDICT
The October Girl draws readers in with a depressingly relatable main character, one who is stuck in the rut of daily life with no change in sight. Autumn’s journey, however, explores themes of death, rebirth, and a continued belief that we must fight for a better future. Her narrative is explored beautifully and portrayed just as well by Smith’s art style and colors, which breathe an air of childlike wonder into Autumn’s fantastical world.
The October Girl Volume 1 will be in bookstores October 21st, and comic shops October 22nd, courtesy of Maverick (an imprint of Mad Cave Studios).
