Lumberjanes: End of Summer #1 Review: A Fitting Farewell to the Roanoke Legacy

When Lumberjanes made its debut in 2014, readers were not prepared for its clever characters or the emotional story that would unfold. The past six years have been delightful for the beloved Roanoke girls as readers have formed tight friendships with Molly, Jo, and the rest of the gang. But as every season must, this summer has come to an end. An inevitable endpoint for the comic has arrived as Lumberjanes: End of Summer closes out the series' six-year run with an abundance of heart and care.

Lumberjanes: End of Summer brings the comic's current arc to an end as the campers are faced with an impossible task. The Grey has invaded their beloved forest and threatens all who live in it. For all of the Lumberjanes, this terror will not be allowed to stand. Though they may be returning home soon, the forest housing Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types is their home and forever will be.

As a whole, the final issue unfolds beautifully with enough fun and friendship to float even the most dour of readers in 2020. Lumberjanes: End of Summer shines in its careful pacing which gives each of its heroines a chance to shine. Molly takes some long-deserved steps forward in this finale, and the emotional payout for her journey proves to be worth the wait.

Of course, all of the quirk and charm readers love about Lumberjanes is layered throughout the issue as well. Ripley gets to live an honest dream after she summons a massive strawberry-scented cat who assists in saving Molly from the Grey. In the most ludicrous fashion imaginable, Lumberjanes: End of Summer provides each of its characters with fond farewells that are as genuine as they are satisfying.

And while the issue is filled with levity, Lumberjanes: End of Summer does revel in its final tender moments. Readers who have followed the series from its start will surely shed a tear at the issue's final page. The journeys explored within this comic's pages belong to the readers as much as they do the Roanoke girls. Saying goodbye to the series is difficult to say the very least, but this finale makes the farewell fulfilling in a way only the Lumberjanes could.

Published by Boom Studios

On December 2, 2020

Written by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh

Art by Brooklyn Allen, Alexa Bosy, and Kanesha C. Bryant

Colors by Maarta Laiho

Letters by Aubrey Aiese

Cover by Kat Leyh