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Nutmeg #1
Nutmeg Volume 1 - Early Fall: Taste Buddies
NUTMEG, by Jackie Crofts & James F. Wright, is a comic about crime, baking and growing up.
Two suburban junior high girls bond when, through a twist of fate, a prank on a pompous rival finds them building a criminal empire with their irresistible brownies.
Volume 1 collects Issues 1-3.
Two suburban junior high girls bond when, through a twist of fate, a prank on a pompous rival finds them building a criminal empire with their irresistible brownies.
Volume 1 collects Issues 1-3.
96 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 28, 2016
Super cute comic that I picked up at Van CAF, mostly because it was described as "Betty and Veronica meets Breaking Bad with baking" and the writer for it was this adorable, endearing guy. It was really interesting to hear him talk on a panel featuring creators of colour about the difference between content created by people of colour and content featuring people of colour but done by white people and how it's more important to him personally that POC are getting the cheques. So an interesting context to go into this comic where the main characters are middle school white girls at a prep school but knowing the writer is black. Lots of food for thought.
But onto the actual comic! Lots of stuff to like here: the pastel colours that lure you into a false sense of normalcy and niceness, boarding school mean girls shenanigans, relatively evil 13 year old girl plots, some hints of interesting backstory yet to be revealed. We also know right from the beginning that things are going to go awry, which gives the story a nice sense of forboding and like, oooh, I can't wait to find out how exactly things go terribly wrong.
I would have liked to get to know the two girls who become fast friends and their enemy a bit more before diving right into the action--the plot of taking down the evil empire of brownie-baking mean girls. I also would have liked to see some more variety in the appearance of the character drawings: body type, as well as, as weird as this sounds, noses. I felt like everyone had the same nose.
But onto the actual comic! Lots of stuff to like here: the pastel colours that lure you into a false sense of normalcy and niceness, boarding school mean girls shenanigans, relatively evil 13 year old girl plots, some hints of interesting backstory yet to be revealed. We also know right from the beginning that things are going to go awry, which gives the story a nice sense of forboding and like, oooh, I can't wait to find out how exactly things go terribly wrong.
I would have liked to get to know the two girls who become fast friends and their enemy a bit more before diving right into the action--the plot of taking down the evil empire of brownie-baking mean girls. I also would have liked to see some more variety in the appearance of the character drawings: body type, as well as, as weird as this sounds, noses. I felt like everyone had the same nose.
February 1, 2016
A bit disappointed in this one. Betty and Veronica meets Breaking Bad this is not. It's not even Veronica Mars meets Mean Girls. I actually had flashbacks to the 90s movie Dick with Kirsten Dunst. Remember that one? Maybe it was the brownies with the "special" ingredient and the old fashioned hairstyles. The art is ok, a bit somber with all the pastels for a so-called comedy.
One of the creators was heavily inspired by Heavenly Creatures which is a movie I have not seen. I see the Grease inspiration in the styling or maybe even 1950's Betty and Veronica. Nothing much seemed to happen and I was kinda bored. I actually liked the letters from the creators at the end discussing what inspired them in writing Nutmeg better than the actual comic!
FYI the TPB is just the individual comic book issues pasted together, including the ads!
So far nothing I've read from Action Lab Comics (including Awake, Vamplets, and Nutmeg) has measured up to my love for Princeless.
One of the creators was heavily inspired by Heavenly Creatures which is a movie I have not seen. I see the Grease inspiration in the styling or maybe even 1950's Betty and Veronica. Nothing much seemed to happen and I was kinda bored. I actually liked the letters from the creators at the end discussing what inspired them in writing Nutmeg better than the actual comic!
FYI the TPB is just the individual comic book issues pasted together, including the ads!
So far nothing I've read from Action Lab Comics (including Awake, Vamplets, and Nutmeg) has measured up to my love for Princeless.
March 28, 2020
Wow, these girls sure are quick to resort to poisoning as a revenge for social slights.
Only collecting three issues, the story didn't really get a chance to get going. There's a flashforward that starts this volume hints at the deep trouble the girls get into, but this volume doesn't arrive there. I liked the baking and friendship, but it's hard to sympathize with Poppy and Cassia to the point that I think poisoning bystanders is definitely the right way to go. Maybe just fill the mean girl's locker with frogs and move on?
Only collecting three issues, the story didn't really get a chance to get going. There's a flashforward that starts this volume hints at the deep trouble the girls get into, but this volume doesn't arrive there. I liked the baking and friendship, but it's hard to sympathize with Poppy and Cassia to the point that I think poisoning bystanders is definitely the right way to go. Maybe just fill the mean girl's locker with frogs and move on?
September 18, 2016
I also picked this up at VanCaf because of the elevator pitch and the really friendly guy selling it!
Firstly, it was a bit jarring to see several pages of ads between each issue, especially as some of the ads repeated so it felt like overkill. So the ads make the book look a lot more substantial than it is.
There's also only three (I believe) issues in the book, which isn't enough time to get invested or have any sort of plot develop. Usually for the cost of a trade paperback, I'd expect 4-6 issues and at least some sort of arc, but this one very much felt like it cut off in the middle.
I didn't really get a Betty and Veronica vibe aside from the fact that they're high school girls, but the main characters were both cute and likeable. The art is fantastic and I loved the lettering. It's a well-written comic, I just wish there was more in each book.
Firstly, it was a bit jarring to see several pages of ads between each issue, especially as some of the ads repeated so it felt like overkill. So the ads make the book look a lot more substantial than it is.
There's also only three (I believe) issues in the book, which isn't enough time to get invested or have any sort of plot develop. Usually for the cost of a trade paperback, I'd expect 4-6 issues and at least some sort of arc, but this one very much felt like it cut off in the middle.
I didn't really get a Betty and Veronica vibe aside from the fact that they're high school girls, but the main characters were both cute and likeable. The art is fantastic and I loved the lettering. It's a well-written comic, I just wish there was more in each book.
August 17, 2015
When Poppy offers to show new girl Cassia the ropes, an instant friendship is born. They have lots in common--including their desire to take mean girl Saffron down a peg or two. A plot is hatched and set into motion, that (thankfully) doesn't work out quite the way they intended. First book in the series shows some promise, but the characters are straight out of central casting and could use some depth.
December 27, 2015
Breaking Bad meets Heavenly Creatures with brownies for all. What's not to like?
March 21, 2017
Cute story. Odd art.
June 22, 2017
It's cute, and it has recipes, which is fun... can't say to much about it cuz... spoilers and it's quite short. Looking forward for the next volume 😊
November 14, 2017
2.5 very meh.
February 2, 2018
My formally trainer baker friend & I found this at ECCC several years ago & it was love at first sight.
July 18, 2022
Oof, 3 issues in a volume is really not enough to get any story going. This was okay and I'm intrigued, but there needs to be more.
October 14, 2015
The author says, in a note at the back of the first issue, that this series is being sold as "Betty & Veronica meet Breaking Bad." I think this is a fitting description as far as concept and theme(though I don't think this first volume had quite the cultural star power as those things. Definitely enjoyable and darkly cute, but here's something left to be desired- I still feel like there's a big plot point I'm not quite getting. The premise is clear and yet feels elusive in a way that lessens my interest rather than harnessing it. The art is gorgeous; put it on your TBR, but I don't think you need to prioritize it as a must-read. I was hoping it would have the same effect on my that Lumberjanes did, and while it was entertaining and fine, it deciduous did not give me the same stomach butterflies and feeling that it needed to be devoured.
I'll pick up the second and hope it builds up steam; there's a lot of potential here, it just simmers on low instead of starting to rise toward any sort of boil.
I'll pick up the second and hope it builds up steam; there's a lot of potential here, it just simmers on low instead of starting to rise toward any sort of boil.
July 10, 2016
Only read the single issue #1 but couldn't locate it on GR.
It felt...rather flat and familiar, with a drawing style that seems anime-influenced. Maybe it picked up in the future issues, and I do think the premise could be fun (even though personally, making everyone in town ill just to get to one mean girl seems a bit of a round about way to punish her).
It felt...rather flat and familiar, with a drawing style that seems anime-influenced. Maybe it picked up in the future issues, and I do think the premise could be fun (even though personally, making everyone in town ill just to get to one mean girl seems a bit of a round about way to punish her).
December 14, 2016
Okay I think when anything is pitched as 'Breaking Bad with baking' you have some expectations. I'm just not entirely sure that this met these expectations--there needed to be more, I think. More dialog, more setting up the bad guy, more of the friendship between Poppy and Cassia. It's cute art, but nothing in it really demanded that I pick up the next one.
May 28, 2016
This book was described to me by the author as "Betty and Veronica meets Breaking Bad". Competing cliques at an all-girls school strive to outsell each other in an annual bake sale, but each team is willing to play dirty by adding a highly addictive ingredient.
July 25, 2015
super cute, and super sweet. I just wish it was longer.
November 24, 2015
Artwork was nice, but that was about all I liked. I will not be putting this on the middle school shelves.
April 23, 2016
A solid start,I just wish this first volume had been longer.
August 3, 2016
Eh. The art was lacking. The writing was very lacking. The coolest part was the actual recipes put in. Points taken off for one of the writing proudly declaring what a freaking weeaboo they are.
October 4, 2016
I don't think I am the right audience for this particular GN. Too juvenile for my tastes... definitely NOT Chew! :)
September 16, 2016
Great art, and I love the recipe part! Will definitely look for more in the series.
April 26, 2017
More like 3.5. I liked it and it has my attention enough to want to try the second volume. Great art!
April 10, 2018
I read the first and second volume of Nutmeg and while it was definitely enjoyable, it was definitely not the strongest comic I've ever read. I definitely like the mean girls meets breaking bad kind of vibe, but I'm not super invested in the characters in the way I'd like to be. honestly the two reporters--Anise and Ginger-- are way more interesting to me than the main characters. In the nitpicky complaint department: I do wish the trades hadn't included the ads for other action lab comics plus the letters from the creators exactly as one would find in the single issue format. like, I don't mind if you wanna include some of the original letters plus the recipes--which are way cool!--but I wish they had been included in such a way that didn't break up the narrative. The best part of trades is that they provide a place where one can theoretically immerse themselves fully into the story, but this didn't really give me that feel.
overall though, it was fun and weird and I love the character names in this story, and will very likely endeavor to read the rest :)
overall though, it was fun and weird and I love the character names in this story, and will very likely endeavor to read the rest :)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews