Lumberjanes is a comic book series created by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn A. Allen and Noelle Stevenson and published via the Boom Box! imprint of Boom! Studios. The story follows a group of girls named Mal, Ripley, Molly, April, and Jo spending summer at a scout camp, and the strange creatures and supernatural phenomena they encounter there. Originally planned as an eight-part series, the comic was made an ongoing series following strong sales and critical acclaim.
Publication history
Lumberjanes came about as the result of Boom! Studios editor Shannon Watters approaching writer Grace Ellis in the hopes of creating a girl-centric comic series. After settling on a story set at a summer camp, the pair brought in Brooklyn A. Allen for initial character designs and Noelle Stevenson as a co-writer. The series would be the second published on Boom! Studios' Boom! Box imprint, which aimed to feature experimental, creator-driven work by writers and artists from outside the mainstream comics industry. A single eight-issue story arc was originally planned, but shortly after the release of the second issue, Boom! Studios announced that Lumberjanes would become an ongoing series. The Lumberjanes characters were featured in a six-part crossover with DC's Gotham Academy in June 2016.
Overview
The story is set in and around Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types, a summer camp whose attendees are known as Lumberjane Scouts. The five scouts of the Roanoke cabin—Jo, April, Molly, Mal and Ripley—witness a mysterious old woman transforming into a bear, and after following her into the woods, encounter a hostile pack of three-eyed supernatural foxes. As more three-eyed creatures start to appear, the girls task themselves with solving the mysteries surrounding the camp. Over the course of the story, characters earn or refer to various Lumberjane scout badges. The characters frequently invoke the names of notable female pioneers, with phrases such as "Oh my Bessie Coleman" and "What the Joan Jett?" Each issue ends with a track listing for a mixtape prepared by one of the characters.
Characters
Campers
Jo is the most cool-headed and analytical member of the group. She is a transgender girl who has two gay fathers. She acts as the de facto leader and specializes in the more mathematical puzzles the group faces, and is the most by-the-book of the scouts, knowing the Lumberjane pledge by heart. She has a strong bond with April, including a secret handshake. When Jen is absent, Jo is the most likely to worry about the safety of the group and attempt to rescue her friends. She has the most badges in Roanoke cabin. She is also April's cousin, as shown in Vol. 10, "Parent's Day."
April has a flair for the dramatic and a love of puns, and habitually takes notes on the various puzzles the group encounters in her diary. Though outwardly the least physically imposing Lumberjane, she is revealed to be the strongest after successfully arm wrestling a giant living statue. She is also the fact-finder and knowledge base for most of their adventures, and is always ready to face the unknown. She is Jo's cousin and best friend, and was the first person Jo came out to.
Molly is a skilled archer, but being shy, she sometimes worries that she doesn't contribute enough to the group. However, it is revealed that she has a head for word games and puzzles, and likes to read, loves history, and has the second-most patches of anyone, belying her experience. While Jo or April take the lead and forge ahead, Molly will watch the back of the group, preferring to look after Mal, or Ripley. She has a raccoon companion named Bubbles whom she wears as a hat and has a mutual crush on Mal. She has a rocky relationship with her family, particularly her mother, probably due to her love interest in Mal, while her relationship with her father appears to be relatively neutral.
Mal, despite her punk appearance, is the most cautious and sensitive of the group. She specializes in crafting elaborate plans. She is often paranoid about the dangers facing them at the camp, has a fear of rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, and is watched over and protected by Molly, whom she loves romantically. They often hold hands and share panels together as a couple.
Ripley is the youngest and most energetic of the girls, liable to launch herself towards danger without any fear. Her famous move includes drop kicking things in the stomach, including foxes, yetis, statues, and even Mal. She loves animals, from kittens to dinosaurs, and cookies, candy and other sugars. Despite often being the catalyst for trouble she possesses keen insight into other people's feelings. Molly and Mal are often Ripley's unofficial guardians, and if not them, then Jen. She also tends to be a softball, thrown by Mal, generally. She also has a big family but gets along with her siblings quite well. she is shown to have a very close relationship with her Abuela.
Camp staff
Jen is Roanoke cabin's scout-leader and is a student in high school. The girls consider her an adult figure, meaning that they are likely on the younger end of their teen years, though it is never specified. Though Jen takes her job very seriously and is often stern with her campers, she genuinely cares for them and tries to protect them from harm. She is extremely knowledgeable about various fields such as botany and astronomy, and usually tries in vain to interest her adventurous campers in safer activities before catching on to the odd happenings at Camp.
Rosie is the camp scout-master, an easy-going, tattooed woman who enjoys woodcarving. She seems to know more about the mysterious events surrounding the camp than she is willing to reveal, and encourages the Lumberjanes to keep their eyes peeled, tacitly encouraging them to solve the mystery.
Collected Editions
Novels
Author Mariko Tamaki and artist Brooklyn Allen expanded the series into a four-book series of middle-grade novels:
Lumberjanes launched to positive reviews. Many reviewers commented on the importance of the comic as an all-ages, female-led and female-authored title. Alison Berry of Comicosity said that "Lumberjanes is the book that so many have asked for, both accessible and girl friendly without sacrificing entertainment value for the older set... Girls doing for girls is important in comics especially, because it is traditionally dominated by male characters and creators." The series has a rapidly growing fanbase, and at the Staple Comic Con in Austin Texas on March 7, 2015, the regular artist of the series, Brooklyn Allen, said that the official name for fans of the series is "Lumber Jumbies" and that he hopes the fans take to this name. The name “Lumber Jumbies” was posed by 2 fans in a Q&A panel on that same date.
Awards and nominations
In 2015, Lumberjanes was nominated and won two Eisner Awards, for Best New Series and Best Publication for Teens; In 2015, it was also nominated for the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book. It was nominated for the GLAAD Outstanding Comic Book in 2018 and 2019.
As of May 2015, 20th Century Fox was working on a live-action adaptation. In August 2016, Emily Carmichael was announced to direct the film. In August 2019, the film was reportedly canceled by Disney after its acquisition of 21st Century Fox.
