We know the story presented in Lumberjackula by Mat Heagerty: a child wants to please his parents by doing what they want him to do; however, he does not want to do exactly what either wants for him as neither choice is the right fit for him. He has a need, a need to DANCE! But when your mother is a lumberjack and your father a vampire, you must decide which side you are on. Or do you?
Of course, there are lies (Jack tells his parents he is going to the school for lumberjacks or the one for vampires to “try them out” but instead is going to the dance school), misdirection (again, the lies and half-truths), and tutus (lots and lots of wonderful tutus). Of course, this all leads to Jack learning his lesson and not there to show Jack as a “bad kid.”
The difference this time is the character of Jack. Which, as said above, Jack is part Lumberjack (you can tell by the flannel and beard) and part Vampire (fangs and ears). And instead of a more realistic approach to the illustrations, there is more of a Cartoon Network/old school Nickelodeon look to them. Sam Owen created some fun, cute, silly, and expressive artwork. There is political correctness with female lumberjacks and there are too-cool-for-school (but they do go to school, as it is cool to go to school) vampires.
But it is still a familiar, cozy story about being yourself, with the “How can he be true to all parts of himself?” as the main theme. And the way Jack does that is with a little help from his new friends and a grandpa that looks a little like Mel Brooks in Hotel Transylvanian (only a lot sweeter and has a good eye for fashion).
Jack learns how to shake it all about while being a good kid, son, and being happy with who and what he loves in this graphic novel (due Summer 2022) for ages (stronger reader) six to 10-11.
