Lucky Penny

Starred review from December 21, 2015
Penny Brighton, 18, is something of a manic pixie, and by the end of this exceptionally entertaining comic, she’s on her way to becoming one guy’s dream girl, even though disaster follows her everywhere. Part rom-com, part pop-culture parody, the story opens with Penny losing her job, parting ways with her friend/roommate Helen, and moving into Helen’s newly empty storage unit. After Penny snags a job at the Laundromat—which is managed by Helen’s surly 11-year-old brother—she meets geeky desk clerk Walter, and an awkward romance is born. Penny’s story grew out of Hirsh and Ota’s Johnny Wander webcomic, and they’re in perfect sync, delivering drily funny dialogue and outlandish visual comedy that plays with conventions of film, manga, and geek culture (for her part, Penny adores fantasy romance novels with titles like Dragon Lust and Succubus Seduced, which she organizes “according to hotness”). The plot veers into action-thriller territory toward the end, blurring the lines between what’s real and imagined, but Penny’s idiosyncratic exuberance carries the day, and her hapless attempts to get her life in order should hit home with a broad range of readers. Ages 13–up. (Mar.)■

January 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Penny, a young 20-something who describes herself as having a "weird tattoo and a smoking habit," is once again down on her luck. Recently both jobless and homeless, she moves into her best friend's storage unit, where her primary companion is a stray cat. Even though Penny concludes she is bad luck to those around her, she is tenacious about improving her situation-even if it means she must work in a laundromat for a precocious, sarcastic (and, later we learn, vengeful) preteen. More mature teens will especially enjoy this humorous slice-of-life comic done in noir shades. The artwork is simple, yet the facial expressions are lively. Penny's insecurities navigating a budding romance with the nerdy yet lovable Walter come across as authentic and comical (especially when she imagines scenarios inspired by cliched romance novels). The situations Penny finds herself in are at times fantastical, but readers can relate to her reactions, which are a mixture of awkwardness and sincerity. VERDICT Teens who have followed the misadventures of Penny Brighton online will enthusiastically welcome this print edition, which will surely create new fans.-Sherry J. Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis, MO

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