Confetti Realms from Mad Cave’s Maverick imprint goes into the familiar realm of adolescence. That part of your life where you want to leave everything behind. But what’s the point of that when your troubles have a way of sticking with you?
The Confetti Realms: The Sides of Expression
We all know that being a teenager is hard, especially with the identity crises and the defenses that come with it. It’s a universal feeling even if you’re not an alternative or queer like the cast is. The writer Nadia Shammas provides that sense of isolation between a group of friends from her experiences in Covid-19. Even when the cast is communicating, nobody seems to be connecting.
Karnessa’s art perfectly displays this sense of disconnection with expressive facials and empty spaces between people. There’s so much going on in each panel transition that the anticipation to reach some kind of understanding is suffocating. Radwa for example always looks dour and avoids eye contact unless spoken to. When she does speak up it still comes across as distant from others, partly because of the lettering placement by Micah Myers.
As for Radwa’s design, the coloring by Hackto Oshiro tells readers everything about her arc. Her dark clothing blends in with the rest of the setting, but the red highlights in her hair make her stand out. This clash shows that Radwa wants to connect with people, but something’s holding her back from expressing herself.
Sinking Your Teeth In A Fantasy
Now that the framing device has your attention, let’s look at the creators pride and joy. The Confetti Realms is a fantastic place where readers can lose themselves in. Even if it can scare them at first.
You can find anything to enjoy, just as long as you don’t think too hard about it. Like a Russian-speaking bear teaching animal-minded humans ballet. Or Shammas and Karnessa’s favorite, a frog that robs people’s teeth at knifepoint. Those are the realm’s currency, which makes you wonder how dentists would work. Until you hear about the Transfiguration where everything in the realm changes unless the guests go home.
All of the nonsense genuinely gets readers to both enjoy the moment and think. Every fantasy you might indulge in might be at odds with how things actually are. If a bear raises humans like trained animals, why wouldn’t a cat boy do the same? Or how even after you become something else post-Transfiguration, you’ll still have your baggage. But what’s the point of going home if that’s where all of your baggage is? Those questions are what makes this setting and the character motivations so memorable.
Is The Confetti Realms Your Rabbit Hole?
Confetti Realms is an unforgettable roller coaster of emotional struggles to connect with others and fantastic moments. Things will always seem scary or uncomfortable at first, but this graphic novel encourages people to change their perspectives. Sometimes you have to lose yourself in the nonsense to let the barriers down. Final score: 8.5/10.
Thanks for coming to the end, and as always remember to look between the panels.