Comic Strip Review: Shutterbug Follies

Comic Strip Review: Shutterbug Follies by Jason Little

It is the 1990s, before the digital photography explosion.  Bee works in a one-hour photo shop as a finishing technician.  She enjoys her job, not least because she takes copies of the more…interesting pictures shot by the customers home for her own collection.  One day, Bee notices something odd about one of the photographs brought in by a new client.

As she investigates further, Bee finds herself enmeshed in deception and murder.  She’s in way over her head, and a killer is closing in!

This story was originally a webcomic by Jason Little, which then became a book, and recently was rerun in an edited edition on the GoComics website.  (Some nudity is pixelated on the internet, for the uncensored version, you’ll have to read the book.)

The good stuff:  This is a cinematic story, and you can easily imagine it being turned into a live-action thriller.  Bee is a brave, fit young woman but no action hero, and although she’s attractive, her character design isn’t a cookie-cutter comics heroine look.  This makes it easier to root for her as she struggles with some of the challenges she faces.

The supporting characters are also fine; I especially like the cabbie/aspiring musician.

Not so good:  Bee’s professional ethics are somewhat lacking–yes, without those lapses the plot wouldn’t happen, but you wouldn’t want your co-workers acting like that.  Also, her taste in men is a bit unsettling.  (To his credit, the man in question is unsettled.)

Be aware that as a thriller, there is some violence.  Trigger Warning for child abuse.

Apparently, the sequel, Motel Art Improvement Service has enough sex to make it unable to be run on GoComics even with pixelation; for that one you will indeed have to read the book.

I’d recommend this strip to thriller fans, and people looking for a slightly more realistic female lead in an action comic strip.