After calling out at work to go to the annual Shocktober Nights celebration and lying to her parents about working at the store, Rey asks Devin to convince Parker to pose as her boss when her parents come to confront her about leaving their teenage daughter alone at night after hours. But can Devin convince Parker to play along, or will Rey’s lies blow up in their faces? Check out this review of Cellies #5 from Lion Forge.

CELLIES #5 REVIEW

Story: Joe Flood
Art: Joe Flood
Creator: David Steward II
Publisher:  Lion Forge
Release Date: October 3rd, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in CELLIES: In an effort to have something of a life, Rey lied to her parents, telling them she would be at work instead of out with friends at the Shocktober Nights opening in town. It all goes sideways when Devin doesn’t wait for her to show up for her parents to arrive, and it looks like she was left at the store alone. But Devin has his own problems after he mistakes Parker’s friendliness for something more. And will Pete still have a job after the rotten hotdog incident?

RETAIL, IT’S LIKE HELL, BUT ONLY LESS PLEASANT

Devin, upon discovering that Parker’s friend Amber is the one interested in him, decides to give it a chance. After their first kiss, he has to take a call from his co-worker Rey, who is not doing well. Her parents, already grudgingly agreeing to let their teenage daughter work, are not happy when they arrive to discover she was left alone, at night, after the store closed. Worse, they want to meet with her boss so they can express their displeasure in a more vocal manner. Since Devin was the one who was supposed to wait for her, thereby covering the fact that she was not working but was out with friends, she guilts him into asking their co-worker Parker into posing as the manager of Jog, the cell store they all work at, when her parents arrive.

Devin finally convinces Parker to help and they set about making a plan to get the real manager, Christian, out of the store. It’s a well thought out and meticulous affair which involves psychological subterfuge and a 20% off coupon for the tanning salon, and it seems to work. But before Christian departs to the realm of tanning beds and bronze skin, he has to speak with Parker and Devin. The new employee, Elena, seems to have mentioned the amount of time the friends spend socializing and points to it as a reason for slow sales. Christian asks that they either cut down on the non-work talking or include Elena in the conversation. Devin, ever the even-tempered co-worker eager to get along, agrees, but Parker is a little less happy about the conversation.  It all looks like the plan is coming together, until someone asks to speak to the “managers” supervisor.

DID YOU TRY A SOFT RESET?

Cellies takes place in a small cell phone store and follows the misadventures of the employees as they try to live life and not succumb to the tediousness of a life in retail. The series was created by David Steward II, the managing director of Lion Forge Comics, with story and art by Joe Flood (Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, Hellcity: The Whole Damn Thing), and it may be a book that slips under your radar, but don’t let it. This is one of those you want to catch now before you have to catch-up later.

As I stated, it is a story about a group of co-workers and friends who work at Jog Mobile, a cell phone store, and follows their lives as they try to make it through each day. The cast of characters includes the directionless Devin, hajib wearing high schooler Rey, over-qualified college degree holder Elena, Jerry, the old guy, Christian, the manager/dude-bro, and Parker, the red-haired friend girl. One of the things I like about this title was, having worked retail for many years as both manager and drone, is that all the characters are recognizable. You know someone like each of them, especially if you have ever worked retail. It’s a fun book, and it is very much a modern slice-of-life story. There is a lot of comedy, the beginnings of some romance, and some serious stuff as well. Teen-age Rey proves to be the crux of this issue. She has lied to her parents, as many a teen is want to do, but her parents are protective, actually overprotective, possibly with good reason. To make it worse, she has managed to drag her friends and co-workers into a lie to cover up a lie, and the consequences do not look good. This is not high drama by any means, but it rings true. All the character ring true, and that is part of what makes it an entertaining read.

BOTTOM LINE: GOOD FUN WITH A LITTLE DRAMA THROWN IN

Cellies isn’t going to break records. It may even be difficult to find at your local store. That said, try to find it. Pick up the previous issues. It’s a good, funny book with an entertaining story. The plot develops well and the concept is something that is rarely seen in comics. I would almost compare it to a more family-friendly Clerks, but I hate to make comparisons.

CELLIES #5 is that book that you want to pass around to your friends and then look at them and say, “Dude, that is so you!” Go find a copy and enjoy the fun.

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