The third volume of Lumberjanes To the Max is now out! The original team of Shannon Waters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, and Brooke Allen has grown to include co-writer and cover artist Kat Leyh. artists Carolyn Nowak and Carey Pietsch, colorist Maarta Laiho, and letterer Aubrey Aiese.

Lumberjanes has maintained its large cast of characters well, making their diverse backgrounds and interests a natural part of each storyline. Every hardcore-lady-type reader of most ages will be able to see themselves reflected in the pages of Lumberjanes, whether they’re looking for a body type or a personality type. Really really skinny? Covered. Big tall and buff? Got it. Short and chubby and still ready to kick some butt? Check. Runs headlong into chaos without thinking? Yes. Shy and uncomfortable around big groups of people? Absolutely. They’re all here.

Speaking of running headlong into chaos without thinking, the Lumberjanes team has an excellent grasp on well-timed and ongoing character development for the Roanoke cabin crew. Characters learn lessons, but not in a cheesy Full House way, but occasionally still struggle with those lessons in later issues. This is part of what makes the stories in this series so engaging; there’s real character growth alongside the mystery and adventure (and mermaids, selkies, werewolves, and portals to lost worlds).

Speaking of mystery, another thing that makes Lumberjanes into the amazing series that it is: foreshadowing and clue dropping that exists side-by-side with CLOSURE. The reason series like LOST developed huge followings that were eventually suffered letdown or just plain FATIGUE is because they’re all build-up and no payoff. Lumberjanes carefully balances short-term resolution of mysteries (“Who is so-and-so and why do they sneak off into the forest like that?”) with hints about the general nature of the supernatural elements surrounding the camp that slowly build upon each other (“That’s the bear lady”->”She can do xyz”->”For this reason”). There’s always more mystery to uncover, but not to the point that it’s difficult to keep track of the plot, or that there’s a lack of resolution. (It might help that it seems the Lumberjanes team has the mystery PLANNED OUT. I’m lookin’ at YOU, J.J. Abrams!)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Lumberjanes is a great way to get kids, especially girls, into comics. It’s totally enjoyable for multiple ages (let’s be honest, your eight-year-old won’t get “Sweet Bell Hooks!” but you will). However, jumping into the third volume will leave readers a little unsteady- not completely lost, but do yourself and this awesome series justice and grab all three volumes from your local comics shop.

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