Agatha Clay has been having a very bad day. For one, the locket her uncle left with her eleven years ago is gone. Her favorite professor is murdered in cold blood by the bumbling dictator Klaus Wolfenbach. Wolfenback then kicks her out of the school she has been studying mechanics, and forces Agatha and her care takers to go into hiding. Well, if you have ever had a day that you felt would never end then you understand how Agatha feels in Girl Genius (and I think most people do)!
Set in what seems to be a perpetual industrial age, Girl Genius is the story of Agatha, a young student who has some secrets of her own. She does not realize it yet, but it seems that her true identity is something very interesting and important to the world she lives in and many people are searching for her. Combine that with the fact that some type of magic curses her locket, and you've got the beginnings of what could very well be an engaging comedic adventure.
On the other side of the coin, the characters in this story, aside from Agatha who is passionate and funny, only serve as a cookie-cutter supporting cast. They are not essential or even necessary to the tale except as pieces to further push along the plot line. This saps away the fun of the book, because there is always good fun to be had in the exploration of characters and there are too few to explore.
The art is exquisite. Drawn in a traditional style akin to a comic strip, Phil and Kaja Foglio whip up a realistically off-beat environment for their robot and science driven world. Famous for their contributions to the card game, Magic: The Gathering, the Foglios are not new to the artistic world. Their art takes on an anime inspired feel mixed with that comic-strip style, with results that are intriguing.
While this is only the second issue of a still growing series, it definitely drew me in. I wish to know much more about Agatha Clay and her mysterious past. The end of this story kept me guessing and I am glad it did! With art and story lines as capturing as this, I see a very good future ahead for Girl Genius.
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