Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Unfamiliar by Haley Newsome is a super cute fantasy comedy, which is so random that readers are either going to love it or just be like ‘ugh whatever’. Luckily for me, I quite enjoyed it!
The story follows a young, clueless witch called Planchette as she moves into a new house, only to find it haunted by several ghosts who are in no mood to leave. New to town and with very little knowledge of exorcism, Planchette sets out to get some help from other witches and hopefully makes some new friends along the way.
The opening page of ‘Unfamiliar’ is hilariously deceptive. Set on a dark, gloomy, rainy night, we see Planchette ominously concocting something in a black cauldron. What is she up to? The suspense is broken on page two.
Now, even though this webcomic isn’t a thriller or anything of the sort, it’s best that I not reveal anything more about Planchette so you can read and enjoy ‘Unfamiliar’ without spoilers.
But I will say this: in her quest to get rid of the ghosts in her new home, Planchette meets some interesting witches, some of whom are just as clueless as she is about getting rid of the undead. Eventually, they figure out that if they can discover what’s keeping the souls from crossing over (you know, unresolved business) they might finally disappear.
Some of the new friends she makes include a clumsy but wealthy local named Pinyon, and an attractive siren called Babs, (think Bianca from Wednesday or Madison Fear from Monster High) who’s on a mission to stop attracting attention and instead repel people so she can live a quieter, more introverted life.
The artwork in Unfamiliar is cute, simple, and slightly glossy, with Haley Newsome sticking to a limited color palette on each page, which honestly works much better than an overdose of colors and standard black-and-white panels. Most of the comic leans into soft pastel shades, giving everything a bubbly, youthful vibe that fits the story’s young magical lead.
For example, Planchette’s old home is pink and almost resembles a decorative cake, while her new haunted abode is black and red, shaped like a simple skull that looks more like a Halloween-themed cookie than something truly sinister. To offset the dark tones of the house, the creator uses a bright blue sky and pink clouds, keeping the mood light and playful.
If you’re in the mood for something light, random, cutesy, but with a touch of fantasy, magic, and quirky witches, then ‘Unfamiliar’ is a comic worth checking out. Especially if you love doodle-style, adorable artwork.
My only major grouse with this volume was that it ends too abruptly!
Rating: 4 on 5 stars. Unfamiliar Volume 1 is on Kindle Unlimited.
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