#first second comics

The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited

Pumpkin Heads

Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks

209 pages

First Second, 2019

In this graphic novel, Josiah (“Josie”) and Deja are friends who work during the autumn season at the local pumpkin patch. They’ve worked together the last three years, and as both of them are set to graduate high school, this is the last year they’ll be working together. Josie has long had a crush on the girl who works in the fudge shoppe, but has never gathered the nerve to talk to her. On Halloween night, their last night ever at the pumpkin patch, the outgoing and fearless Deja helps Josie bow out of his usual job at the succotash hut to track down the fudge shoppe girl so he can finally talk to her. The two friends race hilariously through the entire patch, stopping at the s’mores pit, the corn maze, the freeto pie stop and more as they try to find the girl. When Josie finally catches up to her, it doesn’t go exactly as planned. 

Make no mistake, the joy in this graphic novel isn’t the plot. As far as plots go, it’s very simplistic. But there is a lot of joy to be had, though it’s all in the setting. The pumpkin patch serves as a liminal space for the characters of Josie and Deja. The patch has everything anyone could ever want in a place like itself, including a petting zoo, pony rides, caramel apples, among many other delights. An escaped animal from the petting zoo allows for some truly funny background scenes. Possibly the best part of the book is the chapter titles, which are all punny: Panic at the Pie Palace, S’More Problems, Succotash-Trophe and more. 

The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins

The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins