Penny and Aggie
My column this week in the Argosy
It should be clear by now that I judge webcomics based on characters, story, and art, in that order. Penny and Aggie has all three of these in abundance all mixed up with high school romance, conflicting personalities, and epic battles of wit and will. The story is powered by the phenomenal writing of T. Campbell and the excellent art is by Point-Verte New Brunswick's own Gisèle Lagacé. Ms. Lagacé's art works in unison with Mr. Campbell's writing to make characters that make one forget that it is just a comic.
Penny and Aggie is hosted by a group that bills itself as collecting comics about teen life. It is true that the characters are in high school but Penny and Aggie is far too sophisticated and complex to be summed up as a teen romance or soap opera. While it is done in a sort of soapdrama format with episodic storylines and a focus on characters over events, it escapes being a “soap comic” by avoiding overly dramatic scenes and by the sheer depth of characterization. The title characters are Penny Levac, a wealthy and fashionable young woman, and Aggie d'Amour, who is an outcast by choice and self styled political activist. The two are sworn enemies as one can only have in high school, each at a loss to understand the others motivations. They each have loyal friends who both back them up and challenge their assumptions, and there are plenty of side characters to follow. Unlike many comics with a large cast, Campbell and Lagacé keep track of their characters and devote time and attention to lovingly crafting each into an individual.
The story follows the girls through their battles and occasional alliances, but it also branches into the lives of their friends and family. Aggie's father is a widower of three years, and has recently met a woman he thinks he wants to start dating. Penny's best friend, Sara, is struggling to keep her identity from being nothing more than the best friend of the popular girl. Within the various storyline are the usual high school politics and competitions.
Penny and Aggie is somewhat reminiscent of Betty and Veronica in art and theme. However, Penny and Aggie is far removed from the fanciful and ultimately Utopian world of Archie Comics. Despite being wealthy and fashionable, Penny is, along with Aggie, one of the high school's top students. Despite her desire for social justice, Aggie is not always the hero, and can be as flawed as the often self centered Penny. Even Rich, Penny's one time love interest, does not stay within the stereotype of the too cool to care bad boy.
I have to recommend Penny and Aggie to everyone. It is everything a good webcomic should be, with regular updates and an excellent story. The included sample is a perfect example of the comic, representing the coming to a culmination of several stories, as well as being an example of the interactions of the characters and the wit of the author. The girl in black is Sara, who has long been convinced that Aggie, with the peace sign on her belt, is in love with Penny, and vice versa. The girl with the multicolored hair is Lisa, weird in her own right. You are missing out if you skip this one, so check it out at www.pennyandaggie.com/
