Webcomic Wednesday - Taproot

Okay, I have a confession to make. That title might be slightly misleading in that I don't know if this was originally a webcomic. I read this in graphic novel form, having picked it up in the LGBTQ section at Dave's comic book shop in Brighton. (I know that part won't be of interest to most people, but if you're in the area it's well worth a visit.) On to my recommendation for this Wednesday.



Taproot 
by Keezy Young

A story about a gardener and a ghost

Blue is having a hard time moving on. He's in love with his best friend. He's also dead. Luckily, Hamal can see ghosts, leaving Blue free to haunt him to his heart's content. But something eerie is happening in town, leaving the local afterlife unsettled, and when Blue realizes Hamal's strange ability may be putting him in danger, Blue has to find a way to protect him, even if it means... leaving him.

My Two Pennies' Worth

The tag line says it all, this is a story about a gardener and a ghost. It's a gentle story of Hamal, who works in a flower shop, and is the only person who can see the ghosts, and Blue, a ghost who is in love with Hamal. The story takes a darker turn when we discover why Hamal is the only one who can see the ghosts and a sacrifice is required to put things right. Those few poignant pages made me weep. But never fear, there is a happy ending to this tale.

The artwork is perfect for the style of story being told, very gentle with muted colours.

I loved the two leads, a young man that people think is a bit crazy because he talks 'to himself' and a ghost killed in a motor accident. Their relationship as friends is beautiful and when they finally declare their love for each other, well, yes you can imagine what I was doing at that point. There are secondary characters, some alive and some ghosts, but it is the otherworldly reaper that gets my vote for best secondary character; they're a scream.

This comic has no explicit panels or curse words. And I would consider it suitable for everyone from 9 to 99. It's certainly suitable for teenagers and YA readers.


Buy Links 

Since I'm a bit a a stickler for these kind of things I'd suggest going to your local comic book shop to try and pick this up (if we don't use them, we'll lose them). But you can buy this on Amazon.

Amazon UK
Amazon US

It's here on Goodreads, if you want to add it to your shelf or check out other reviews.


Links for the author

Website: http://www.keezyyoung.com/
Twitter: @KeezyBees

I'll be checking out their other work, Never Heroes (which is currently an ongoing webcomic), soon. Seriously, look at that artwork.