Girls Vol.2: Emergence

by the Luna Brothers

I really like the way that the Luna Brothers set up their long-form, finite comics series.  The Sword was great, and it got me to look into their back catalogue, of which I think Girls might be their most impressive work.

The story is kind of simple, a strange naked girl is found on the side of the road in a small, isolated town.  The man who finds her sleeps with her, and the next day, there are more naked girls being hatched out of eggs in his bathroom.  There is also a giant sperm in a corn field that shoots lasers, and an invisible shield around the town (that was all in the first trade).

This trade opens with the townspeople stuck on a bridge that is falling apart (since it has been bisected by the invisible shield).  The survivors hole up in a nearby house, while some of the men (the Girls attack women on sight) try to find their way out through the northern road.

What elevates this series far beyond its straight-forward science fiction plot is a few things.  For one, there is a liberal use of naked women, which can't ever be seen as a bad thing.  Most importantly though, is the incredible character work the Lunas put into this series.  The people of this town mostly don't get along, and as they are placed under more stress, relationships and manners get strained beyond the breaking point.  It's wonderful to watch these characters take cheap shots at one another, and at times things escalate into open warfare.  The character dynamics become more interesting than the plot.

Of course, the Lunas never let things go very long before we are reminded of the precariousness of everyones' situation, as attempts to contact the outside world fail, and the Girls attack.  The series really builds on a sense of suspense and confusion.  Normally I'll spread a book like this out over a couple of days, but I read this in two sittings, since I found I couldn't put it down.  Definitely recommended.