What do you think?
Rate this book
Spell on Wheels #Vol. 1
Spell on Wheels
Kate Leth and Megan Levens team up for a magical new series! Spell on Wheels!
Three young witches head out on an east coast road trip to retrieve their stolen belongings and track down the mysterious thief before he can do any damage to--or with--their possessions.
This trade paperback collects the first 5 issues of Spell on Wheels.
Three young witches head out on an east coast road trip to retrieve their stolen belongings and track down the mysterious thief before he can do any damage to--or with--their possessions.
This trade paperback collects the first 5 issues of Spell on Wheels.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2017
27 people are currently reading
4734 people want to read
About the author
Kate Leth
147 books430 followersKate Leth is a Canadian author and illustrator working in comics, animation, design, and feelings. A grown-up goth and pop culture devotee, Kate specializes in work for kids and teens. Their comics work includes Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!; Girl Over Paris; Spell on Wheels; and Adventure Time, among others.
They live in Halifax, Nova Scotia with an absolutely ridiculous cat and several regrets. They are queer and genderfluid/non-binary, a fact that greatly influences their work. Kate uses they/them pronouns, but probably won’t correct you.
They live in Halifax, Nova Scotia with an absolutely ridiculous cat and several regrets. They are queer and genderfluid/non-binary, a fact that greatly influences their work. Kate uses they/them pronouns, but probably won’t correct you.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 622 reviews
October 19, 2018
All my ladies that preferred the Beast before his transformation, this one is for you ✨😅
August 1, 2018
This graphic novel follows three young witches - Jolene, Claire and Andy, respectively - heading out on an East Coast road trip to retrieve their stolen belongings and track down the mysterious thief before he can do any damage to—or with—their magical possessions.
And this is now my second (favorite) read where the main character overthrows her jerk of an abusive ex boyfriend, who's also coincidently called Nathan. I love it. Speaking of which, Spell on Wheels throws in so many of my favorite elements together:
• diversity.
• the occult.
• witches.
• f/f ships.
• supportive and positive friendships between girls.
• road trips.
• notable humor.
• feminism and calling out men on their sexism (!!!)
• vibrant and colorful art. #aesthetic
• JUST SO MUCH GOOD STUFF.
So I'm beyond excited to next share those cherished moments I mentioned above:
Claire is #goals.
I included the above simply for the "H... Hi?" because it reminded me of that noteworthy Skam moment between Noora and Eva:
Which reminds me that there was another Skam moment in here that I absolutely adored: the usage of the ouija board.
Iconic:
#tfw your friend is being outed by a ouija board but there’s nothing you can do about it
But circling back to the lively characters in this graphic novel, my favorite one remains to be Jolene Nguyen with her gorgeous name and tattoos:
She had some of the best scenes!!! Between handling her technopathic abilities, kissing girls and producing striking one-liners, it was hard not to get swept up in my love for her.
Plus, as I mentioned before, the art in here is just... so enthralling and fitting to the atmosphere. And I’m forevermore grateful that the style didn’t change throughout this volume.
These two eye-catching panels remain to be my favorite.
They showed that bastard Nathan exactly what they’re made of, just like they'd promised.And last but not least, Claire hitting it off with a certain someone made me giddy with excitement when I realized just how much their budding romance reminded me of Scarlet and Wolf from TLC.
Discussions on Beauty and the Beast is something I'm always up for.
All in all: Though it took me a bit time to get into the story because of some info-dumps at the start, I'm more than glad I stuck with it. Spell on Wheels is guaranteed to stay with me for awhile to come.
Also, I loved listening to this enthralling song while flipping from page to page.
Expected publication: June 20th, 2017
4.5/5 stars
Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Spell on Wheels, Vol. 1, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!
Support creators you love. Buy a Coffee for nat (bookspoils) with http://Ko-fi.com/bookspoils
July 29, 2017
This was utter and absolute perfection
July 20, 2017
Magical Mystery Tour
A magical road trip to solve a magical mystery. Road trip and revenge! Nancy Drew with witches as girl detectives. At a glance of ratings and reviews here, I am in a minority in thinking this was just okay. It’s got a lot going for it, though; it’s a woman-created comic about three witches, Claire, Andy and Jolene. The women reflect some diversity, and are drawn with a range of normal bodies, which—that I have to write this even in 2017—makes it unique, but this is typical of many (not all) of the new women-created comics, not surprisingly. Claire is a larger (is it plus size? Just call her curvy?), red-haired Canadian with a lot of pizazz; Jolene is an Asian lesbian, and Andy is black, younger, more inexperienced. They all have different psychic capacities, supernatural powers.
These girls head off on a road trip after some of their belongings are stolen from an ex, jerk Nathan, and sold on the magical black market. Well, this has feelings of Buffy about it in that it focuses on relationships. Oh, and there’s a hot goat-man named Paul that Claire crushes on, that recalls Saga for me.
It’s Wiccan Witchcraft. It’s feminist empowerment! It’s just fun, not dark, but younger, lighter, less substantial. Another contemporary comic on Wicca and witchcraft is Greg Rucka's Black Magick, which I like better because it’s darker. It’s not edgy like Harrow County or Rachel Rising; it’s not at the same level of story or character or sense of humor as Nimona or Lumberjanes. Though the women are 20, this has the tone of a pretty young YA comic, with okay art. It’s tamer, cleaner. But consider the source here, I’m a late-middle-aged guy, and all the 4 and 5 stars are coming from women, so y’all might like it more than me.
A magical road trip to solve a magical mystery. Road trip and revenge! Nancy Drew with witches as girl detectives. At a glance of ratings and reviews here, I am in a minority in thinking this was just okay. It’s got a lot going for it, though; it’s a woman-created comic about three witches, Claire, Andy and Jolene. The women reflect some diversity, and are drawn with a range of normal bodies, which—that I have to write this even in 2017—makes it unique, but this is typical of many (not all) of the new women-created comics, not surprisingly. Claire is a larger (is it plus size? Just call her curvy?), red-haired Canadian with a lot of pizazz; Jolene is an Asian lesbian, and Andy is black, younger, more inexperienced. They all have different psychic capacities, supernatural powers.
These girls head off on a road trip after some of their belongings are stolen from an ex, jerk Nathan, and sold on the magical black market. Well, this has feelings of Buffy about it in that it focuses on relationships. Oh, and there’s a hot goat-man named Paul that Claire crushes on, that recalls Saga for me.
It’s Wiccan Witchcraft. It’s feminist empowerment! It’s just fun, not dark, but younger, lighter, less substantial. Another contemporary comic on Wicca and witchcraft is Greg Rucka's Black Magick, which I like better because it’s darker. It’s not edgy like Harrow County or Rachel Rising; it’s not at the same level of story or character or sense of humor as Nimona or Lumberjanes. Though the women are 20, this has the tone of a pretty young YA comic, with okay art. It’s tamer, cleaner. But consider the source here, I’m a late-middle-aged guy, and all the 4 and 5 stars are coming from women, so y’all might like it more than me.
May 14, 2024
#2) Spell on Wheels, Vol. 2: Just to Get to You ★★★★★
Reread #1 (Dec 2020): ★★★★★
i'm so glad this was everything i remembered! i feel a little justified about how often i think about paul 😂✌️
Original Read (Jan 2019): ★★★★½
queer witchy road trip? what more could i have asked for
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Jolene (mc) is an Asian lesbian; Andy (mc) is Black.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
March 24, 2021
Update: I still pretty much have the same thoughts that I had the first time that I read this series. It's such a fun comic that is centered around witches. There is a strong focus on friendship between the three main characters. They have to work together to retrieve their magical items after they are stolen from their house. Each character has strengths and weaknesses and Leth definitely plays on them both when readers see character development. I would have loved to see a little more in terms of world building. There appears to be a very specific way in which the witches acquire their gifts and Leth doesn't really delve into a lot. I'm hoping that in the second issue readers get a little more about their origin. The artwork is stunning. Absolutely loved the pallet choices for inking and coloring.
Soooo cute!!! I can’t wait for the next volume!
Soooo cute!!! I can’t wait for the next volume!
October 1, 2021
Spell on Wheels follows a trio of roommate/best friend witches who get sent on a road trip to hunt down a mysterious villain after finding their home broken into and several valuables stolen. This was a really fun graphic novel that I enjoyed a lot - it's gorgeous, the characters are lovable, there's a lot of casual and thoughtful diversity, and the plot is engaging. There was a little something missing that kept this from being a perfect 5-star read for me, but I definitely still highly recommend picking up a copy! I was especially fond of the "Goatman" arc, and anyone else who thought the Beast was better before he turned back into a prince probably will be, too. 😂
✨ Representation: Claire is plus-size, Jolene is Asian-American and queer, Andy is Black, and multiple side characters are BIPOC and/or queer
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
✨ Representation: Claire is plus-size, Jolene is Asian-American and queer, Andy is Black, and multiple side characters are BIPOC and/or queer
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
March 24, 2018
This was a lot of fun! Nothing I like more than bad-ass female witches.
I'm not big on road trip storylines, but this didn't even feel like a road trip book. They just happened to drive to where the action was. I do wish we knew a little more about their powers, as they weren't used as much as I expected.
This also felt a little Scooby-Doo like? I don't know how to explain it, but basically it's like running around in circles finding "clues" while mentioning the bad guy over and over only to reveal that person at the end like it's a "surprise." I felt like the importance of the crime was downplayed a lot as well. I was like who cares if they don't get candles back???
I do LOVE these characters and am excited to see how they grow.
I'm not big on road trip storylines, but this didn't even feel like a road trip book. They just happened to drive to where the action was. I do wish we knew a little more about their powers, as they weren't used as much as I expected.
This also felt a little Scooby-Doo like? I don't know how to explain it, but basically it's like running around in circles finding "clues" while mentioning the bad guy over and over only to reveal that person at the end like it's a "surprise." I felt like the importance of the crime was downplayed a lot as well. I was like who cares if they don't get candles back???
I do LOVE these characters and am excited to see how they grow.
March 6, 2018
5 magical stars!
I LOVED this sooooooooooooooo much <3
I used to watch Charmed back in the days and this gave me serious Charmed-vibes. I loved each of the three MCs, the artwork was stunning and oh so colourful. I loved how each character had their own personality, and I think out of them all, I most identify with Claire. There is humour, action, adventure, and most importantly, magic!
A must for witch-lovers.
Roll on Volume 2!
I LOVED this sooooooooooooooo much <3
I used to watch Charmed back in the days and this gave me serious Charmed-vibes. I loved each of the three MCs, the artwork was stunning and oh so colourful. I loved how each character had their own personality, and I think out of them all, I most identify with Claire. There is humour, action, adventure, and most importantly, magic!
A must for witch-lovers.
Roll on Volume 2!
October 21, 2017
I loved this! And it not only has a lesbian side character, but also a bisexual plotline. Also, I'm sorry, but how are they all so attractive. I know they're comics, but... wow. Even the goat man.
January 17, 2020
2.5/5 ⭐️
October 10, 2019
I actually liked this one and I see so much potential in it. It was really cool to read about these three witches Andy, Jolene, and Clare. I loved their stories and my favorite is Clare, she's awesome! The only thing that slightly bothered me was that everything happened too fast. I really wanted to read and enjoy in every single detail.
October 28, 2017
Unpopular! Opinion! Time! Again!
*sigh*
I don't have much to say about Spell on Wheels tbh. The premise sounded fairly interesting, so I decided to give it a go. Who would've thought that a story about a witchy road trip in order to recover some stolen magical artifacts and defeat some unseen enemies with nefarious purposes would be that... boring?
The story, though it had some good elements to it, like diversity, the occult, witches, some f/f lovin' and a cute satyr with a six pack, felt underdeveloped and unfortunately it fell flat for me.
The dialogue felt forced and the villain was, well, too 'villainy' and unbelievably clichéd. It touched many, otherwise, interesting themes (like abusive relationships, sexism etc.), but never actually delved into them, which made me think that they were there, just for the sake of being there. Moreover, we never got to learn about each character’s backstory, even though there were hints of it, so I felt no connection to them whatsoever.
Last, but not least, the art style didn't appeal to me at all, but that's completely up to personal taste.
All in all, this had a solid idea that didn’t reach even an inch of its actual potential.
*sigh*
I don't have much to say about Spell on Wheels tbh. The premise sounded fairly interesting, so I decided to give it a go. Who would've thought that a story about a witchy road trip in order to recover some stolen magical artifacts and defeat some unseen enemies with nefarious purposes would be that... boring?
The story, though it had some good elements to it, like diversity, the occult, witches, some f/f lovin' and a cute satyr with a six pack, felt underdeveloped and unfortunately it fell flat for me.
The dialogue felt forced and the villain was, well, too 'villainy' and unbelievably clichéd. It touched many, otherwise, interesting themes (like abusive relationships, sexism etc.), but never actually delved into them, which made me think that they were there, just for the sake of being there. Moreover, we never got to learn about each character’s backstory, even though there were hints of it, so I felt no connection to them whatsoever.
Last, but not least, the art style didn't appeal to me at all, but that's completely up to personal taste.
All in all, this had a solid idea that didn’t reach even an inch of its actual potential.
October 13, 2017
Wooooow. This was amazing.
October 16, 2019
This was essentially the movie Practical Magic on a road trip with recognition of the fact that the Beast was better before his transformation. So yeah, it was pretty great.
April 17, 2020
2.75/5 Stars
It was a cute read. I really liked the vibrant colors that were used and I also appreciated the attention to the girls' outfits. The story was interesting enough, but I did expect a bit more from it. The reveal at the end was a bit of a letdown and it wasn't even explained properly. I might check out volume 2, but I'm not sure yet.
It was a cute read. I really liked the vibrant colors that were used and I also appreciated the attention to the girls' outfits. The story was interesting enough, but I did expect a bit more from it. The reveal at the end was a bit of a letdown and it wasn't even explained properly. I might check out volume 2, but I'm not sure yet.
May 17, 2022
When a burglar steals a bunch of their magical supplies, three witches set off on a road trip down the East Coast to recover their fenced goods. The story is episodic, with all the good bits coming in the middle as they get involved with some colorful characters on the way. The resolution of the burglar and the Big Bad behind him is actually the least interesting part of the book, though it doesn't ruin it.
I have the sequel on hand and look forward to spending more time with the characters.
I have the sequel on hand and look forward to spending more time with the characters.
July 10, 2017
I love to see more women creating comics, especially when they are as good as this. Thelma and Louise for the witch set. Our witches' house has been burglarized and they go on a mission to get all their magical items back.
The Good: Fantastic art, winning story. Megan Levens knows how to draw real body types, not just big boobed, small-waisted super-vixens for teenage boys. Kate Leth knows how to write realistic relationships and character interactions and it makes for a much more engaging story.
The Bad: Some of the allusions to the characters's backstories made it feel like I had missed a previous book or something. It was just something about how they were written, like I should know what they were referring to. I actually went to look and make sure there wasn't another graphic novel I'd missed.
The Ugly:
Received an advance copy from Dark horse and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Good: Fantastic art, winning story. Megan Levens knows how to draw real body types, not just big boobed, small-waisted super-vixens for teenage boys. Kate Leth knows how to write realistic relationships and character interactions and it makes for a much more engaging story.
The Bad: Some of the allusions to the characters's backstories made it feel like I had missed a previous book or something. It was just something about how they were written, like I should know what they were referring to. I actually went to look and make sure there wasn't another graphic novel I'd missed.
The Ugly:
Received an advance copy from Dark horse and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2018
THIS WAS SO GOOD. I AM A SAD PANDA IT SEEMS THERE WON'T BE MORE.
November 23, 2021
rep: Vietnamese American sapphic mc, Black mc
yo this is so! much! fun!
yo this is so! much! fun!
March 28, 2023
If you need a light road trip comic about witches, this is perfect. (I’m not sure how anyone can NOT need a road trip comic about witches, honestly.) Jolene, Claire, and Andy are magical co-workers, housemates, and best friends. When their home is burgled of magical objects, they set out across New England in a convertible to track down their stuff and find out who’s behind the thefts. Along the way, as one does, they meet all kinds of interesting (and only sometimes dangerous) people (and not-people), solving problems with magic and the power of female friendship.
It’s not too deep (though there are references to a past abusive boyfriend), it’s fun, and there are plenty of great outfits and hairstyles in addition to gals being awesome. Everybody wins.
It’s not too deep (though there are references to a past abusive boyfriend), it’s fun, and there are plenty of great outfits and hairstyles in addition to gals being awesome. Everybody wins.
May 14, 2019
"You have no idea what I'm capable of."
This is going to be a mini-review! Spell on Wheels is a quick & fun graphic novel. I liked the characters and the story, and I would definitely read more if the series continues. It was really nice to see diverse characters in a graphic novel - I can only think of a few other graphic novels with a diverse cast, so it's always refreshing. The plot of the three witchy best friends going on a road trip to get back their possessions was really entertaining, and I liked the art as well.
This is going to be a mini-review! Spell on Wheels is a quick & fun graphic novel. I liked the characters and the story, and I would definitely read more if the series continues. It was really nice to see diverse characters in a graphic novel - I can only think of a few other graphic novels with a diverse cast, so it's always refreshing. The plot of the three witchy best friends going on a road trip to get back their possessions was really entertaining, and I liked the art as well.
January 26, 2018
I knew I was gonna love this one. And it didn't disappoint. A witchy vengeful road trip with powerful female characters. 🖤🖤
May 29, 2018
Loved it.
RTC
RTC
December 31, 2019
I heard Kate Leth describing this comic as having “Buffy vibes” on a podcast, so naturally I had to pick it up
so yes, each character had at least one moment where their voice was replaced with that of Buffy Summers in my head but despite the similarities in word choice, this was definitely it's own, and quite brilliant, story.
I will admit that I am not the biggest of comic readers, only reading a couple of series' a year plus a few graphic novels and webcomics thrown in there, but to me Spell on Wheels really stood out in how each issue had a clearly defined plot yet never lost sight of the overarching storyline. I enjoyed the trio's interactions with all of the characters that they met along the way, as well as the distinct characterization these interactions gave to each of the main characters.
100% recommend.
so yes, each character had at least one moment where their voice was replaced with that of Buffy Summers in my head but despite the similarities in word choice, this was definitely it's own, and quite brilliant, story.
I will admit that I am not the biggest of comic readers, only reading a couple of series' a year plus a few graphic novels and webcomics thrown in there, but to me Spell on Wheels really stood out in how each issue had a clearly defined plot yet never lost sight of the overarching storyline. I enjoyed the trio's interactions with all of the characters that they met along the way, as well as the distinct characterization these interactions gave to each of the main characters.
100% recommend.
January 4, 2020
EDIT: Vol 2 will come out June 2020 and I cannot be more excited!
The character designs are brilliant and I loved how the personalities of the group was so strong and unique!! I love witches and strong female friendship and basically everything within the pages of Spell on Wheels ♡ It is a little disappointing that there might not be another volume but I can't wait to see what the creators will do next.
4 stars!
The character designs are brilliant and I loved how the personalities of the group was so strong and unique!! I love witches and strong female friendship and basically everything within the pages of Spell on Wheels ♡ It is a little disappointing that there might not be another volume but I can't wait to see what the creators will do next.
4 stars!
July 20, 2018
A #GetGraphic read! Female friendship with diverse rep, (GASP! A plus-sized BAMF main character!), witches on a revenge road trip, and all the hilarity and hijinks that come with it. I freaking LOVED this, and I so hope there’s more to come in the future, fingers crossed!!
August 3, 2017
This was such a sweet, fun graphic novel based around a trio of witches (best friends) on a supernatural road trip. They're searching out their own stolen goods, with a mysterious and powerful enemy in pursuit, but they also end up meeting and/or helping all sorts of interesting people along their way. It's funny and smart and heartfelt all the way through, and I absolutely adored all of the characters - especially, of course, the three witches, Claire, Jo and Andy, who are all fabulous in different ways.
The story arc of this volume is really satisfying, with a lovely, complete feeling at the end, but I would LOVE to read more adventures for these women - I really hope there will be a Volume II very soon!
The story arc of this volume is really satisfying, with a lovely, complete feeling at the end, but I would LOVE to read more adventures for these women - I really hope there will be a Volume II very soon!
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 3, 2019
Three witches embark on a road trip to find their stolen things and catch the robber...and stumble upon an arrogant artist, bored housewives and a very ~interesting~ loner in the woods.
This was altogether enjoyable and fun to read, and I really liked the diversity rep and the depiction of the witches, even if I felt that the overall villain reveal was a little lazy and not as big bad evil as I was hoping. I did enjoy that several stereotypes were poked at, along with an overall storyline of who gets to have power, who doesn't, and what happens when those who think they deserve power based on their powerful parents don't get the power.
This was altogether enjoyable and fun to read, and I really liked the diversity rep and the depiction of the witches, even if I felt that the overall villain reveal was a little lazy and not as big bad evil as I was hoping. I did enjoy that several stereotypes were poked at, along with an overall storyline of who gets to have power, who doesn't, and what happens when those who think they deserve power based on their powerful parents don't get the power.
September 12, 2017
ORIGINALLY POSTED: https://bibliomantics.com/2017/09/11/...
Touted as Supernatural meets Buffy and The Craft, Spell on Wheels is about three fashionable young witches who go on an East Coast road trip to retrieve their stolen magical belongings. While the adorable artwork and two of the side adventures were super enjoyable — I’m looking at you goat man and haunted gal pals — I didn’t find the arc as a whole entirely successful. A real shame, since fashionable witches on a road trip is basically my dream comic book series.
Touted as Supernatural meets Buffy and The Craft, Spell on Wheels is about three fashionable young witches who go on an East Coast road trip to retrieve their stolen magical belongings. While the adorable artwork and two of the side adventures were super enjoyable — I’m looking at you goat man and haunted gal pals — I didn’t find the arc as a whole entirely successful. A real shame, since fashionable witches on a road trip is basically my dream comic book series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 622 reviews