Back in May, Luke Cooper put out his latest title in the form of the Graphic Novel known as Pumpernickel. Which is the story of Rebecca ‘Pumpernickel’ Turner, who is something of a miracle baby for her parents. Only, the truth is she’s a Changeling who was switched at birth with the real Rebecca Turner and after a number of years in the normal world, those like her want her back. Something she’s not entirely enthused about for obvious reasons and hey, who can blame her? She’s got it going pretty good after all! Its neat/interesting that Luke chose to explore the concept of the Fae/Changeling folktale regarding switching children at birth here in Pumpernickel and the path that could potentially take in later years and is something we get to see as I mentioned earlier. And if you remember how Luke had a certain color scheme going in AloneNotLonely, we see something like that here in the pages of Pumpernickel as well.
Only a lot more green instead of red in this instance and a little yellow as well. Now, despite how young she is, Pumpernickel proves she’s not one you should underestimate as she will kick ass and its something her birth mother later finds out after she forces the issue of Pumpernickel coming back. And mother dearest certainly learns that you shouldn’t let Pride and a desire for Power over ride everything else! The ending for this story could be considered ambiguous given its got a bittersweet air to it and it makes sense given that most original fairy tales don’t really have happy endings. How things play out in the future between Pumpernickel and her parents now that all’s been said and done is something I’m curious about and can’t wait to see how Luke will handle that when the time comes.
I’d also like to mention that since my original review of Pumpernickel all the way back in 2021, Luke has switched from self-publishing the title to having it among the many excellent titles to be published through the UK based Publisher known as Markosia. And the original art style for the book has even gone through a change as well. One at first I wasn’t necessarily a fan of as I enjoyed (still do) the original but the updated new style has definitely grown on me! And its also one that is reflected in the new updated cover as well, granting folks a quick preview of the new style! So if you have yet to check out Pumpernickel, now is definitely the time!
Pumpernickel – (Graphic Novel)
Markosia
Created, Written, Drawn, and Colored by: Luke Cooper
Reviewer: Rob Wrecks
Summary: Rebecca Turner is a miracle. Not expected to make it to her first birthday, Rebecca is now approaching eleven years old. Sure, she’s a little weird but her parents love her all the same.
Except they aren’t really her parents because she’s not really Rebecca Turner.
She’s a changeling called Pumpernickel, swapped with the real thing ten years earlier by the Hidden People who now want her to come home and are having trouble taking no for an answer.
But Pumpernickel likes living as a human and loves her adoptive parents. She therefore has no intention of leaving and will protect her stolen life by whatever means necessary, fair(y) or foul.
From the imagination of Luke Cooper, creator of Hollow Girl, AloneNotLonely, Figments and A Glimpse of Hell, and artist on the award-winning GoodCopBadCop, Wolf Country and Burlap: Death Waits for No One, Pumpernickel is a twisted modern fairytale that tells us that family is about more than just blood, no matter how much gets spilled.
