The Great British Bump-Off

I am a big fan of The Great British Bake Off and murder mysteries, and boy was I excited when this series was solicited. The Great British Bump-Off not only marries these two things, it's also written by John Allison, whose work I have been following for decades now. It stars sleuth Shauna Wickle, one of the stars of the webcomic Bad Machinery, as a contestant on a parody version of the esteemed reality baking competition. Someone has poisoned one of the most competitive bakers, and the producers have tasked Shauna with finding the culprit while also being on the show and completing the challenges. Hijinks and suspense ensue.

Drama!

There are a few things that make this book highly appealing. The artwork is cartoonish and dynamic, a great platform for both broad humor and some of the more sinister undercurrents of the plot. The dialogue is snappy, and I found myself laughing and smirking along at this book a few times. The murder mystery plot is a lively one, with plenty of colorful suspects and red herrings, a la Agatha Christie. And if you are a fan of the actual reality competition, like I am, there are plenty of delightful in-jokes and references to the show's many tropes. Still, I feel this book would be attractive to anyone who is not familiar with the show, as these are some excellent comics, and the storytelling is masterfully crafted.

The Great British Bump-Off was created by writer John Allison, artist Max Sarin, colorist Sammy Borras, and letterer Jim Campbell. Allison and Sarin also collaborated on the Eisner Award-winning series Giant Days. Borras colors many comics, most recently in The Phoenix. Campbell has lettered a good number of comics, including Barbaric. Allison talks about his inspirations and work on The Great British Bump-Off in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Johana Draper Carlson called it "a joy to read" and added, "The mystery is legitimate, and I was thrilled to follow through the twists and turns." And I completely agree with Tegan O'Neil who wrote, "The problem with The Great British Bump-Off is simply that the series is only four issues long." Nathan Simmons concluded, "Don’t worry if you haven’t watched that series [The Great British Bake Off] before, though; you should still be able to enjoy mystery and the lunacy on display in The Great British Bump-Off, even if you can’t tell a parfait from a trifle."

The Great British Bump-Off was published by Dark Horse, and they provide more information about it here. Fans of this series will be happy to know there is a follow-up, The Great British Bump-Off: Kill or Be Quilt being published right now.

Giant Days, Volume 1

Here's another series I recently dove into from Comixology Unlimited. This book follows a trio of young women as they embark on their first year at university. Esther de Groot, Susan Ptolemy, and Daisy Wooton are freshmen in a typical situation, namely they are a motley bunch tossed together by the random decisions of university housing. Esther is an outgoing goth who attracts lots of trouble, Daisy a naive, home-schooled student with poofy hair, and Esther is the sarcastic, "sensible" one who thinks she knows best. As neighbors, they hang out, go to parties, navigate relationships, fight against male chauvinism, publish a zine, celebrate Daisy's 18th birthday, and get into dramatic situations. Typical college stuff.

 

 

Giant Days is a slice of life kind of story, with no superheroes, fantasy, sci-fi or other fictional affectations. The series works because the characters are interesting and complex, the artwork is clear, energetic, and fun, and the plots are relatable, funny, and compelling. Also, it is worth noting that the events here all happen in England at the University of Sheffield, so it has a very British sensibility and sense of humor. Still, I think the themes and situations here are fairly universal, helped along by the wit of the writing as well the clever drawings. I very much enjoyed reading this book, and I plan to dive into future volumes as soon as I can.

The comics in this collection, which cover the first four issues of the series, were written by John Allison, drawn by Lissa Treiman, and colored by Whitney Cogar. Allison is known for his webcomics Bad Machinery and Scary Go Round (both available here). Treiman is an artist and animator who has worked on movies like Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6. Cogar is an artist and colorist who has worked on Steven Universe comic books and a few films. Allison and Treiman speak about their work on this series in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been largely positive. Johanna Draper Carlson wrote, "I quickly found myself caring about and rooting for the trio, even when they’re making silly (but age-appropriate) mistakes." Oliver Sava commented that the series creators have "used this slice-of-life concept to create one of the year’s most engaging, hilarious comics." Gregory Paul Silber was more lukewarm about this book, summing up that it "isn’t particularly ambitious or challenging (at least so far), but it’s an amusing read with appealing artwork."

Giant Days was published by Boom! Box, and they have more info about it here.