Just in time for Halloween comes a new series from Kate Leth, Megan Levens, and Marissa Louise: Spell on Wheels. This focuses on three friends, Andy, Jolene, and Claire, who are professional witches (slash tattoo artists), and live together in Northampton, Massachusetts.
The series begins ominously enough, with a man breaking into the friends’ house while they’re working a fair in Boston. Even more sinister, the timeframe is only given as a countdown to the next new moon. Without giving too much away, Andy, Jolene, and Claire have something important stolen from them and start out on a road trip to track down the perpetrator. The three all have different gifts: Andy, the youngest, is good with potions and charms, Jolene is technopath and able to manipulate the emotions of others, and Claire has psychic abilities and is especially adept at reading tarot
cards. Together, they are recognized as a fairly powerful coven- even by their enemies.
I think it’s interesting that writer Leth seems to be continuing the trend set up by Kylo Ren (The Force Awakens), Immortan Joe (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Rowan North (Ghostbusters – 2016) of having the antagonist be a sort
a whiny, very entitled white guy. There’s some unknown Big Bad lurking in the shadows, but the bad guy we see is an ex out for revenge, and there are indications that the relationship was rather unhealthy and definitely ended on bad terms.
The artwork, by Levens of Madame Frankenstein fame, is full of detailed scenes, wonderfully expressive characters, and good flow from one frame to the next. Colorist Marissa Louise manages to select a palette that perfectly evokes the autumn/Octoberish atmosphere of the story and reminds me personally of the movie Practical Magic, though I couldn’t tell you why.
The only drawback is how little actually happens within the first issue. While clearly setting up a story arc that will run for the next several issues, it really leaves a reader craving more. I mean, I guess I could watch Practical Magic again while I wait for the next issue…
