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A review by billyjepma
Paper Girls: The Complete Story by Matt Wilson, Cliff Chiang, Brian K. Vaughan
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If you can imagine something that combines the vibes of drinking Mountain Dew at a sleepover with the feeling of starting a new grade at school, you'll have a pretty solid idea of what to expect from Paper Girls.
It's as messy as any time travel story, and like most of them, it doesn't have the most satisfying ending to tie up all the timey-wimey threads that crisscross the millenniums. However, it is a vibrant, wonderfully realized coming-of-age adventure filled with just as much pulpy genre shenanigans as it is heartfelt interpersonal drama around self-actualization and all the anxieties associated with it. Big feelings, sensational colors, rich relationships—yeah, of course I loved it.
I still don't love Vaughan's writing quite as much as I want to, but this might be some of the better plotting I've seen from him. Every issue has a great hook, whether a new twist, bit of characterization, or amazing artwork (Chiang is so good, it's unreal), and the zippy pacing helps each escalation go down smoothly, no matter how ambitious it is. Even Vaughan's penchant for shock-and-awe pays off since the time travel aspects let him loop back around the timeline and give early twists more depth after the fact.
And most importantly, I really love the characters. You can raise an eyebrow at the entire creative team being men—and you'd be valid in doing so—but the characterizations feel rich and lived-in. Their various quirks and bouts of irreverence (which any reader of Vaughan's will recognize) come off as authentic to adolescents dealing with shit they don't understand, and I appreciate how Vaughan doesn't shy away from giving the story a sappy heart of gold underneath its exciting antics. Chiang's expressive art carries it all across the finish line, with colors and reactions that make every page a joy to read. He kills it with the spectacle, but it's his subtler character work that ultimately made me fall in love with the book's punk-rock nostalgia and neon-colored sentimentalities.
It's as messy as any time travel story, and like most of them, it doesn't have the most satisfying ending to tie up all the timey-wimey threads that crisscross the millenniums. However, it is a vibrant, wonderfully realized coming-of-age adventure filled with just as much pulpy genre shenanigans as it is heartfelt interpersonal drama around self-actualization and all the anxieties associated with it. Big feelings, sensational colors, rich relationships—yeah, of course I loved it.
I still don't love Vaughan's writing quite as much as I want to, but this might be some of the better plotting I've seen from him. Every issue has a great hook, whether a new twist, bit of characterization, or amazing artwork (Chiang is so good, it's unreal), and the zippy pacing helps each escalation go down smoothly, no matter how ambitious it is. Even Vaughan's penchant for shock-and-awe pays off since the time travel aspects let him loop back around the timeline and give early twists more depth after the fact.
And most importantly, I really love the characters. You can raise an eyebrow at the entire creative team being men—and you'd be valid in doing so—but the characterizations feel rich and lived-in. Their various quirks and bouts of irreverence (which any reader of Vaughan's will recognize) come off as authentic to adolescents dealing with shit they don't understand, and I appreciate how Vaughan doesn't shy away from giving the story a sappy heart of gold underneath its exciting antics. Chiang's expressive art carries it all across the finish line, with colors and reactions that make every page a joy to read. He kills it with the spectacle, but it's his subtler character work that ultimately made me fall in love with the book's punk-rock nostalgia and neon-colored sentimentalities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Rape