Title: Shade, the Changing Girl (Volume 1: Earth Girl Made Easy)
Author: Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone
Type: Fiction, Sequential Art
Genre: Comic, Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Superheroes
Publisher: DC Comics
Date published: July 18, 2017
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 144
Source: Publisher

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Part of Gerard Way’s new imprint, DC’s Young Animal!

Far away on the planet Meta, Loma’s going nowhere fast. She’s dropped out of school, dumped her boyfriend and is bored out of her mind. She longs to feel things. That’s where her idol, the lunatic poet Rac Shade, and his infamous madness coat come in. Loma steals the garment and makes a break across galaxies to take up residence in a new body: Earth girl Megan Boyer.

Surely everything will be better on this passionate, primitive planet with a dash of madness on her side and this human girl’s easy life. Only now that she’s here, Loma discovers being a teenaged Earth girl comes with its own challenges and Earth may not be everything she thought it’d be. Megan Boyer was a bully who everyone was glad was almost dead, and now Loma has to survive high school and navigate the consequences of the life she didn’t live with the ever-growing and uncontrollable madness at her side. Not to mention that there are people back on her homeworld who might just want Shade’s coat back.

Written by Cecil Castellucci (The Plain Janes), drawn by Marley Zarcone (Effigy) and overseen by Gerard Way, Shade, the Changing Girl starts a whole new chapter in the story of one of comics’ most unique series.

Collecting: Shade, the Changing Girl 1-6

– My Review –

Before opening this comic book, I had no idea that it was kind of based on a series that already existed (Shade, the Changing Man). But I also found that it’s not necessary to have read this other series in order to make sense of, and enjoy Shade, the Changing Girl!

My first impression of this comic, from the very first page, is that it’s very colourful, and quite psychedelic! I’ve never touched acid, or any psychoactive drugs before, but the imagery and some of the subject matter discussed in this comic definitely fit with my assumption of what a psychedelic trip would be like. It took me a few moments to adjust to the style, and figure out what was going on, but once I adjusted, I did not put this book down until I read it cover to cover.

Despite this comic containing quite a bit of high school, and some of the issues revolving around high school and teenagers in high school, I didn’t really find myself sighing or rolling my eyes. This plot has mystery, while also tackling the subject of friendship and bullying. The interpretation of space, and aliens was also unique for me, and I liked how madness was portrayed in this comic was well. At first, I found the madness-induced visions in Shade, the Changing Girl to be kind of gruesome, but I am a fan of weirdness and gore, and found that I really enjoyed those portions once I knew that they were present in the book. I think that first display of such gruesome madness just caught me off guard, because I did not expect it in this comic.

Overall, this was definitely a fun, interesting, and intriguing read. It was definitely something fresh (and keep in mind that I’m saying this without having read Shade, the Changing Man), and although I know that it won’t be for everyone, I highly recommend that comic book fans definitely at least check it out!

– The Author –

Cecil Castellucci is an author of young adult novels and comic books. Titles include Boy Proof, The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell), First Day on Earth, Rose Sees Red, Beige, The Queen of Cool The Plain Janes and Janes in Love (illustrated by Jim Rugg), Tin Star Stone in the Sky, Odd Duck (illustrated by Sara Varon) and Star Wars: Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure. Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic. She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.

– Purchase Links –

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW! HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK? AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET, DO YOU WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!