Lumberjanes #39

I’ve come to realize that the appeal of Lumberjanes for me is rarely what happens in any given issue — and sometimes, as with the mermaids, I don’t care that much for a particular plot — but instead, the cute little moments that honestly bring a smile to my face are my favorite bits.

Issue #39 is part three of a story written by Shannon Watters & Kat Leyh and illustrated by Ayme Sotuyo that began in issue #37, about Parents’ Day at the camp. The girls were trying to keep the more supernatural happenings secret from their loved ones, but when Ripley’s abuela goes missing, and the fox spirit behind the mess reveals itself, plans change.

There are a lot of details worth noticing, as how the fox resembles both the wolf grandma needs to be rescued from in “Little Red Riding Hood” and the coyote trickster spirit of the southwest. The fox also can’t help praising the gang for their friendship, the core underlying theme that brings me back to the title. Who wouldn’t want such a diverse group of besties to hang out with?

Another favorite moment is when Jen demonstrates her faith in her campers. Grandma’s approach to a wild animal is hilarious, and in keeping with the “tough old women” supporting characters that swim in the background of this title. The fox’s motivation is classic fairy tale magic, but it’s got the power to back it up and creates a new motivation for the girls to help it out next issue.

(The publisher provided a digital review copy.)