REVIEW: ‘Flavor Girls,’ Issue #1

Flavor Girls #1 is a new fantasy comic from BOOM! Studios’ imprint, Archaia, it’s written and drawn by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky with additional colors from Eros de Santiago. In this wonderful Sailor Moon pastiche with hints of other beloved magical girl stories like She-Ra, an alien city-ship has appeared above the planet and has wreaked havoc on Earth for 12 years. Only the team of guardians known publically as the Flavor Girls have been able to protect the people of Earth, and now Sara is one of them.

This book has all the makings of a great series. Where it does little in the way of character introduction beyond the cursory, it does some excellent world-building. The conflict between Earth and its alien invaders is mysterious and layered, and the magic that gives the Flavor Girls their powers seems equally so. It’s a bit of a silly conceit, with everyone powered by different fruit, but I’m bought into it nonetheless. I hope this series is able to continue to feel as big as it can be with a three-issue run. It really feels rife with potential. I also hope the subsequent issues help flesh out its characters, though I won’t be overly disappointed if it stays more on the story side of things with such little time to grow.

Visually, the book is done in the perfect style for this kind of story. It’s drawn in a fairly rudimentary style with simple sketching but very detailed backgrounds and faces. Especially in the jungle sequences, there are so many lines in the background, defining clouds, trees, and structures. It’s a total treat to look at. And the fact that each character has distinguished facial expressions is a great bonus, given it’s not always a guarantee in books with simpler art styles.

What might be the deal sealer for my enthusiasm for Flavor Girls #1, though, is its coloring. The book is lush with pastel greens, blues, and pinks, with black or dark line shading to fill in details and a consistently gorgeous blend. Characters’ clothing is a bit more boldly hued to stand out against the lighter backgrounds or the panels that are washed with one color or another. It’s a visual feast for nearly every panel. The lettering in the book is done in a very hand-written manner that isn’t ever especially difficult to read, though it does give a sense of childishness or “girliness” that I’m not sure the book deserves. Still, I do appreciate the creative effort of it.

Flavor Girls #1 is an excellent beginning to what is poised to be an exciting story in a world equal parts expansive and charming. While I don’t yet feel like I know the characters particularly well after one issue, they at least strike me as strong exhibitions of classic archetypes who will offer all the charm inherent in those types of characters. I’m very excited for more and hope that its short run can fulfill the expectations this opening issue has set up.

Flavor Girls #1 is available wherever comics are sold.