Girl Genius: Volume One - Print Review

Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank

I've been a fan on Phil Foglio's work since the old Phil and Dixie comic in "Dragon" magazine. And while I've heard of "Girl Genius" before, starting a webcomic with that large of an archive can be daunting. "Girl Genius: Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank" volume one of the "Girl Genius" series, by Phil and Kaja Foglio, seemed like a nice chance to expose myself to a new series and fill my review quota for the week.

For those unfamiliar, "Girl Genius" is a fantasy adventure set in a steampunk version of Earth where mad science rules. The story follows Agatha, whom (and I don't think I'll spoil anything by letting you know) is a girl genius when it comes to robotics and mechanics. Though, in volume one, we don't see much of this fact. What we do see, however, is a rather unlucky young woman who has yet to display her apparent mechanical ability. Seeing as this volume is labeled the prologue, I guess the genius part comes later.

The Content

And that, is the only real issue I have with "Girl Genius: Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank"; it is just a prologue. I say that more as a warning than a complaint. If you do purchase this book, be aware that you should have book two on hand because this volume ends without any real resolution. It is simply the first chapter in what I safely assume is a MUCH larger story.

Which leads me to what I can already tell I will like about this series; the depth of the world design. We're given hints of the society of the world in which Agatha lives in the first volume. Terms are used without any real explanation and it's left to us to determine their meaning in this fictional universe based on the context in which they are used. I personally love complex fictional worlds that are revealed to us little by little. It gives readers the feeling of actually exploring the world with the characters. Paying attention to the little details is important and rewards readers by allowing them to discover something new each time they read.

And there's plenty to see as each page is drawn in wonderful detail. Phil Foglio loves his splash pages and they are not wasted. Full page shots of streets with detailed architecture and complex steampunk robots, clothing with almost every stitch rendered or at least hinted at; the level of detail is mind-boggling. Even in the colored sections images' line work remain sharp and intricate.

I find it somewhat ironic though, that with all the detail put into rendering each page, the least amount of detail is put into the drawing character's faces. You could find a character's clothes embroidered with hundreds of lines, and their face comprised of maybe two lines at most. Characters do appear to have a great deal of personality depth though as, right off the bat, not counting Agatha, I have no real idea who is supposed to be good and who is bad.

Ultimately, I found the story to be enjoyable enough so far. I was actually surprised by story events and I do indeed want to read more. It has its elements of humor, but mostly, I'll stick with it for the interesting story and to further explore what already appears to be a large and imaginatively designed world full of cool robots and interesting creatures.

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