Review: Cryptozooey, Issue 1

A couple of years ago at San Diego Comic-Con, I picked up my normal pile of comics from the Small Press area.  One of them was an all-ages comic called Cryptozooey.  I came across it again recently when I was reorganizing my collection and happily stopped what I was doing to sit down and read it again.

Cryptozooey is a tale of young girl who sets off with monsters of myth and urban legend to find her lost parents.  Her parents also happen to be renowned cryptozoologists.  These monsters happen to include an adorable Jackalope, a Loch Ness Monster, and the Jersey Devil.  They were all creatures protected by her parents in a sort of sanctuary (before the TV series came out).  She stirs up their tranquil lifestyle and in the whirlwind, she finds a clue to get them on her parent's trail.

I'm a sucker for cute, so the cover grabbed me right away.  It didn't take long for Zooey to win me over with her spunk and adventurous spirit.  It comes across in just a few panels.  I wouldn't want to babysit her, but I like her.  The whole cryptozoology thing?  I've always found that fun, and I bet it appeals to a lot of kids - young and old.  The story has a lot of fun potential.

Steve Troop is author and illustrator; you might recognize his name from Melonpool.  That comic has been published on the interwebs since 1996, making it one of the first webcomics.  His style is reminiscent of Calvin & Hobbes - cute characters, bold lines. 

Visit the Cryptozooey site for more info and to purchase a copy.  As you can see, it hasn't been updated for a while BUT I contacted the creators and they assured me that the next issue is in the works.  And I really hope there is, because there's supposed to be chupacabras.