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Aug 22, 2012 Web Exclusive By J. Nisen

Anna & Froga: Want a Gumball? is so damned delightful that a review can hardly do it justice. It’s perfect for kids, but the cartooning chops and clever humor should please anybody. Anybody.

Anna is a cute little girl who plays guitar and likes to paint. Froga is an anthropomorphic female frog who tromps around in red rain boots. While Froga, from this first volume, appears to be the more mischievious of the two, both can frankly be obnoxious, as can their friends Pupu (a dog, likely the worst of the lot) and Ron (a cat). Ricard’s storytelling is unquestionably some of the clearest, cleanest, and most impactful in comics; the art is adorable and fun, more likely to make you smirk than get all mushy.

This is translated from the original French volumes; apparantly there are several more and we may be lucky enough to see those stateside too at some point. With all the consternation about how the comics industry caters to an increasingly aging fan base and the related lack of a new audience, let alone ideas, Anna & Froga could well be the solvent. Get ‘em while they’re young, and get ‘em with the best merging of art, storytelling, approachability, and humor available. This kids’ comic is not just for kids. (www.drawnandquarterly.com)

Author rating: 9/10