I Hate Gallant Girl is a three issue run published by Shadowline Comics, a partner studio of Image. And if you’re looking for a quick, fun run, then this story is for you.

Dave Baxter, another writer here on Comics Bulletin, actually wrote up a review for the first issue of this tiny series. Frankly, he blasted it. While noting that the artwork was nothing short of brilliant, Dave managed to smite the storyline for being trite and unoriginal. And, honestly, he’s pretty much on the mark with that.

The story isn’t exactly going to knock your socks off. But I’m here to admit liking it, a lot. Sure, it’s nothing that I’ll recommend as huge or life-altering. I Hate Gallant Girl is a whimsical story worth the time and money of anyone that considers themselves a fan of the light-hearted comic genre. I’m not saying that Scooby Doo fans are the only ones that are likely to feel at home. It’s just that this story is deserving of a place in the stacks of those of you still clinging desperately to your favorite, now turned crappy, superhero stories.

Bear with me on this. This book arrives with spirit and a sense of self. Yes, it comes in brimming with pop-culture commentary that may fall into the realm of overused, but it does so in a style that I just can’t ignore. Renee, the main character, is charming. She’s the typical everyman; well, every-“girl” in this case. She’s downright likable. That’s something that I don’t find myself saying about most of my favorite caped heroes. I honestly can’t say that I desperately want to further explore the personality of Batman or, say, Spider-Man. I know what these guys are about. But Valentino and Cahill have managed to serve up another entry into the wannabe-hero field to which I like paying attention.

Add our main character to a universe that reads a lot like that of Kirkman’s Invincible and you’ve got yourself something fun. I say it’s like Kirkman’s world because it’s light enough to sit comfortably at just enjoyable, although Kirkman’s has always had its moments of shear, draining emotion. You’re not going to dive into the story and get stuck somewhere within metaphors. This book is extremely straightforward, and this is a good thing for the fanciful genre it blends in with.

As mentioned above, the art in this series is awesome. You’re familiar with it, of course. It’s the thick, heavily colored, stylized cartoon-look that feels like it’s straight out of the Powers line, except not as weighty on the darks. The artwork compliments the story and the pleasant nature of the book. It’s enough of a drawing point to push those not so keen on the scripting through until the end. I will say, however, that some of the action sequences feel less legible than the static moments. Take, for instance, a moment when our heroine is fighting on the news. Readers are given the, now standard, television framed panel. The action sequences within the TV set look non-specific and squished. This is my only complaint, truly. The art was the selling point of this book for me, and I’d recommend it for that reason alone.

I Hate Gallant Girl is friendly, even-paced and approachable. It’s just plain cool. Kat Cahill writes up a colloquial script and Jim Valentino has come up with an easily digestible plot. I’d like to add that his issue has a twist at the end, and this is another fail-point for me -- I saw it coming from page one. That’s no good. But hey! I enjoyed the book and will stay with it for its conclusion next month.

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