The Roanoke Cabin girls are having a classic night of camping; no mythical creatures, no Greek gods, no kittens holy. Just good ol’ fashioned s’mores, campfire, and spooky stories. Lumberjanes #9 is a fun standalone, showing each girl’s attempt to tell the scariest story. Jen begins this process in her quest to get the “If You’ve Got it, Haunt it” badge. The only problem: she’s not too good with scary. The other girls tell their own stories, each one in their own distinct fashion, and by the end, Jen is inspired to tell a spooky tale that successfully creeps out the others. Enough so that some rustling bushes send them running.
This issue featured a different artist for each spooky tale, which added to the distinct narrative styles of each Roanoke Cabin girl. Jen begins with a story about a babysitter and a wrong number that falls flat. Jo tells the tale of a beloved girl who suddenly finds herself being ignored, and must assume she is dead. Ripley, in true Ripley fashion, shares a story about evil candy; she gets sidetracked by the thought of being trapped and alone, but the other girls jump in to help her out, and remind her that she isn’t alone. Mal tells the classic story of the couple stranded in their broken down car- and the eerie sounds of scratching suggesting that they aren’t alone- with a twist at the end. Molly tells of a “tailypo.” And April shares the story of Old Betty, a spirit who does not take kindly to strangers in her home.
Finally, encouraged and inspired, Jen tries again, and manages a Frankenstein-type tale of revenge at a high school science fair. The girls are sufficiently spooked, and some nearby bushes take the opportunity to rustle ominously, causing the girls to take off.
Each scary story was unique and held the voice of the respective storyteller perfectly. This was a delightful issue, with moments of friendship and humor entwined with the spooky tales. The various art styles made each of the different stories stand out without being distracting, and watching Jen attempt to create a scary story was entirely amusing. This was a fun and all-around enjoyable issue to read.
Score: 4/5
Writers: Noelle Stevenson, Shannon Watters Artists: Various Publisher: BOOM! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 12/17/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital