Do You Like Fun? Then You’ll Love Lumberjanes: Somewhere That’s Green

The Roanokes are suffering from some major rainy day blues when they find some adorable cactus kittens. These poor little plant-based felines have been washed away from their mother so the ‘Janes take it upon themselves to bring them home. This leads them to a mysterious garden where plants are raised like animals. This is a beautiful and amazing place, but while they’re welcomed with open arms, they can never leave.

Lumberjanes is usually filled with positivity and excitement, but this one-shot, Somewhere That’s Green takes that up to eleven. Much of this is attributable to artist Alexa Bosy’s signature style that eats and breathes fun. There’s a bit of a Disney vibe to her artwork which certainly complements the characters and their personalities very well.
I will admit that this took a little getting used to as everyone looks a lot shorter than normal. They’re like chibi versions of the characters we’re used to in the ongoing series. This felt strange at first, but each person is so expressive that it’s quickly forgotten.

The cactus kittens are just a few animals that call this garden home. There are also vegetable lambs, hydra vines, and my favorite, vampire pumpkins. These are big, lumbering creatures with jack-o-lantern faces. They look so cuddly and adorable. I would love to see a plush made of them.
The garden is full of lush greens and bright colors. It’s a nice contrast to the dark and dreary world outside it where the rain is pouring. This is an oasis of wonder. Bosy definitely drives that point home.

The story in Lumberjanes: Somewhere That’s Green moves at a breakneck pace. It’s easy to get caught up in the Roanokes’ adventures. Their enthusiasm is infectious. Writer Seanan McGuire fills this book with some hilarious dialogue that moves just as quick as the plot. It’s like a more kid-friendly and humorous version of an Aaron Sorkin screenplay.
Ripley is central to Somewhere That’s Green as she learns a valuable lesson. She wants nothing more than to cuddle and protect the cactus kittens, but they have a mother already. They don’t belong with her and if she were to take them away from this garden, it might make her happy, however, it would come at a cost to the kitties. This is shown in this really sweet way that is just a little sad, but so very meaningful.

This is a tough decision because those kitties are so darn cute. Letterer Ariana Maher peppers their scenes with these adorable little “mews.” The sound effects in Lumberjanes: Somewhere That’s Green are on point, often wrapping around the subject to add some additional emphasis on the action.
This one-shot also includes a backup story from Mari Costa starring the super awesome yetis. This is just as fun and fast-paced as the main story as Jo helps them fix their generator. This short tale perfectly showcases how crazy the adventures get at this camp. If I had a limited amount of time to tell somewhere what Lumberjanes was all about, I’d show them this story. It perfectly encapsulates the bizarre, yet hilarious antics that we can expect from this series.

It’s impossible to read Lumberjanes: Somewhere That’s Green without a smile on your face. It’s such a great book that is enjoyable for people of any and all ages. Do you like fun? Do you like happiness? Then you’ll love this comic.
Lumberjanes: Somewhere That’s Green from Boom! Studios is currently available at your local comic shop and digitally through ComiXology and Amazon Kindle.