Simone: Even More Monstrous!

The antics continue between Simone and Morris in Simone: Even More Monstrous! in this second compilation of one-page comics by Rémy Simard. The premise is the same as in Simone: The Best Monster Ever! with best friends Simone and Morris in various circumstances that accentuate all that is opposite and illogical in good fun!

The writing/dialogue is very clever, the circumstances quirky and imaginative. As before, situations simply don’t make sense most of the time, adding to the entertainment. The same applies to the titles, which are a play on everyday sayings, such as “A Tough Girl to Swallow” and “Kong Quake”, offering an inviting introduction to bizarre stories. Great amusement for young readers!

Simard’s illustrative style is effective in telling the story, acting in tandem and as clarification for the text in the strips. Background colours and those of the images are striking, standing out against the white backdrop within the pages. Horizontal panels are separated with white space, varying in size on each page providing an easy flow to the stories.

While the artwork is vibrant, the reader would need to see visuals in order to really appreciate what is going on:

Simone: They were married and lived happily ever after (pause)
Simone: They were married and suffered from terrible rashes forever
Morris: What a great story!
Tree: The most beautiful ending I’ve ever heard!

Children will see that not all “monsters” are scary while learning the value of friendship and relationships in general. Despite the stories involving a lot of scheming plots and antics directed toward Simone, the silliness resonates throughout, presenting a friendly and warm monster-human interchange. The fact that Simone seems to be surprised and, at the same time, she is able to take things in stride presents a calming effect within the mayhem.

For those who read and enjoyed Simone: The Best Monster Ever!, Simone: Even More Monstrous! is not to be missed!