Malice in Ovenland (Family Comic Friday)

    For those of you not familiar with Family Comic Friday, I write this weekly article(normally on my blog) to help parents, teachers, librarians, and guardians to better understand kid friendly comics and graphic novels. You'd be surprised the number of times I have been in a comic book store and a parent goes to the clerk and says 'My kid loves Wolverine. He's six. Is this book okay?" The volume is question is Old Man Logan in which the Hulk and his cousin She-Hulk and their children have become a tribe of incestuous cannibals! Even more alarming is how the clerk responded "Oh, Hell Yeah! Your little dude's gonna love it!'

     For today's Family Comic Friday, I choose the 2016 graphic novel Malice in Ovenland. The debut title by Micheline Hess, it tells the story of a little girl from Queens named Lilly. Because of questionable school grades, the young girl can't go to camp like her friends. Instead, Lilly also has to work in her mom's garden where it's all hot and sweaty and even worse- mom has started cooking healthy! Eggplant puree instead of chicken nuggets and fries!?! YUCK!

Due to a family emergency, Lilly's stuck at home alone one summer weekend. Her mother has ordered that the house be cleaned from top to bottom by the time she gets back- including the oven!!! That appliance doesn't seem to have been cleaned in decades and it's going to require Lilly really get down and dirty inside of it! But don't get too close Lilly or you'll fall in.... too late!

On the other-side, Lilly finds herself in Ovenland. Ruled by a fierce Queen, Ovenland has undergone a bit of a famine. The life sustaining grease that once flowed into the kingdom has dried up... all thanks to Lilly's mom eating healthy. Unwilling (and unable) to get the grease flowing again into Ovenland, Lilly finds herself imprisoned and cellmates with a ghost! Will Lilly get back home in time to clean the oven? Or is she to become the main course for her ghostly roommate? 

One main reason I choose Malice in Ovenland is it's similarities to that Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland. I have loved that story since I was a child and I was interested in checking out this take of the beloved tale. Lilly is a fiercely independent young lady with a lot of smarts. She encounters quite a few unusual characters like Alice. Plus, there's some riddles, poems, and mysteries as like in the Carroll book. 

I really enjoyed Hess' artwork. My favorite character was a tiny resident of Ovenland named Crumb who assists Lilly in her journey. The little guy along with the cockroach Max were an adorable pair that made Hess' new land a wondrous place to visit; no matter how grimy or smelly it might be.

This is Micheline Hess' first graphic novel. In terms of story and art, I thought the book was fantastic. But there was one part that nagged at me a little bit and it has to do with grease. See, the soldiers of Ovenland use the valuable stuff as artillery for their weapons. If this stuff was so gosh darn vital as foodstuff for the Frites of Ovenland to live on, why is it being used as a weapon? There were a couple of other times it seemed that the logistics of things wasn't so clear cut. But I chalk that up as rough edges that would get polished out as an artist/writer gains more experience drafting up further adventures. 

As for further adventures, I don't think this is the last we have seen of Ovenland. At least, I hope that is the case. Lilly, Crumb, and Max are too great to just be used once! Further fun starring the trio is requested! 

Malice in Ovenland, published by Rosarium Publishing can be purchased via Amazon in a number of formats. The three single issues that make up this story can be purchased digitally individually. A collection of the four can also be bought in both print and Kindle form as well. 

A fun story with classic roots retold by an up-and-coming graphic novelist. Malice in Ovenland and Micheline Hess are ones to watch!

Recommended for ages 8-12!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.