Bodie Troll is a new all ages comic from Red 5 hitting the shelves in April and Major Spoilers took an advanced look to see what it’s all about.
Bodie Troll #1
Writer: Jay P. Fosgitt
Artist: Jay P. Fosgitt
Colorist: Jay P. Fosgitt
Publisher: Red 5 Comics
Cover Price: $2.99
Previously in Bodie Troll: Bodie is a troll living under a bridge who scares those who dare pass over his home. The only problem is no one finds him scary, even goats. He frequents the village of Hagadorn where he visits his friend Cholly and her fairy godmother, Miz Bijou. Well, Miz Bijou and Bodie don’t get along well. What’s a poor troll to do?
MAGICAL, FUNNY AND FANTASTIC
I’ll start by saying this: I don’t read many all ages comics. I’m not against them, quite the opposite, it’s just difficult for me to find ones that appeal to both children and adults. I also don’t have the budget to try various books in hopes that I’ll find that gem. Well, find that gem I have and its name is Bodie Troll. This book gets so much right that it’s almost unbelievable. The characters and the world they inhabit are in a word, fantastic. Bodie is a lovable character, so cute he can’t be scary, which is something he desperately wants to be. Cholly, the waitress at The Drunken Pumpkin, is Bodie’s best friend whose snuggles make him even less scary. Miz Bijou, Cholly’s fairy godmother (whose wand is a spatula), argues incessantly with Bodie over his inability to do the jobs given to him. Add to this news reports in the form of puppet shows, giant eggs and a monster killing goats (whose weakness is hilarious) and you get Bodie Troll, a fun and original book that must be read. In fact, there is so much going on that it’s a little overwhelming. Fosgitt packs in so much material that some of it isn’t allowed proper space to breathe. This is understandable since Bodie Troll is a four-issue mini-series and space is limited. I don’t want to give any more away, leaving you the same sense of wonder and discovery I had. Bodie Troll deserves to be an ongoing and you can ensure this by picking it up when it hits the stands on April 17.
ONE WORD: UNBELIEVABLE
Jay Fosgitt does so much on this book that I can’t imagine he gets out much. One top of the writing he draws and inks as well as colors the book all by himself. And it’s all amazing. His work evokes some of the 2-D animation that Disney used to put out. Every page and panel is packed with art and it brings the reader into the world he has created. It’s said the best-designed characters in animation and cartoons are ones that when seen in silhouette (or completely blacked out) you still recognize them. Think of the Simpsons or Scott Kurtz’s PVP. You can instantly tell who’s who without seeing anything other than shadow. Fosgitt accomplishes this as well, making each character’s design unique and instantly recognizable. Fosgitt put so much love (and work) into this book and you can tell. Great stuff!
BOTTOM LINE: MUST READ
Bodie Troll is one of those gems that are for young and old alike. Fosgitt creates a world with unique and memorable characters and tells a short, fun story. The artwork is nothing short of amazing and is worth picking up by itself. Bodie Troll #1 comes out April 17 and I urge you to buy this book, it deserves to be an ongoing. If you’re still on the fence, pick up Red 5’s Free Comic Book Day issue, as Bodie will have a feature. Be warned though, if this sells like I think it will, that first issue will be hard to find. Bodie Troll #1 more than earns 5 out of 5 stars.
DID YOU READ THIS ISSUE? RATE IT!
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