As Girl Genius begins, Agatha Clay is having a terrible day. Her locket has been stolen, and she’s late for work at Transylvania Polygnostic University, where the intimidating Baron Wulfenbach has arrived for a surprise inspection. Then, things get worse.
Agatha’s life isn’t all roses to begin with. She works hard, but she seems to lack the inventive spark of her mad-scientist colleagues. She barely remembers her real parents, and her beloved uncle disappeared over a decade ago. She’s also prone to blackouts.
But, under the guidance of creators Phil and Kaja Foglio, Agatha’s luck seems to be changing. Whether it gets better or worse remains to be seen, but the first two collections of Girl Genius make it clear that finding out will be loads of fun.
The Foglios bill Agatha’s story as “a gaslamp fantasy with adventure, romance and mad science,” and that’s as good a description as any. As they put it, “the Industrial Revolution has become an all-out war.” Rival politicians jealously guard their promising “sparks,” or mad scientists, developing constructs to advance their mysterious agendas.
Despite her keen mind and strong work ethic, Agatha’s resigned herself to the conclusion that she isn’t a spark so much as a plodder, destined to assist others in their work rather than pursue her own mad science. It soon becomes clear that she’s laboring at a disadvantage, part of a conspiracy to protect her true identity (even from her). Agatha is actually tied to the legendary Heterodyne clan of scientific adventurers, but why they’ve chosen to obscure this is unclear, and the secret is starting to fall apart.
The first volume, Agatha Heterodyne and the Beetleburg Clank, focuses on Agatha’s last, bad day at Transylvania Polygnostic. The second, Agatha Heterodyne and the Airship City, puts Agatha in custody of the Baron in his floating school for sparks. The Foglios introduce a rich range of wonderful characters, particularly in Airship City. Agatha’s fellow students (who happen to be trapped against their will), the Baron’s various henchpersons (like terrifyingly buxom headmistress Von Pinn and the adorably savage jagermonsters), and the Baron’s surprisingly decent son Gil make for a sweetly bizarre ensemble. Agatha herself is wonderfully sympathetic; she’s smart, enthusiastic, and self-possessed, even in circumstances entirely beyond her control.
Art by Phil Foglio, along with inks by Brian Snoddy (volume one) and colors by Mark McNabb (introduced in volume two) is appealingly cartoony but with a solid, science-fantasy style. It’s perfectly suited to the story, which has comic elements while creating its own believable universe. The Foglios aren’t just borrowing genre tropes so much as using them to forge a playful new mythology.
I loved the almost sepia quality of the first collection’s black-and-white illustrations (with the exception of a short piece showing a glimpse of Agatha’s future, with colors by Laurie E. Smith). Nice as that was, the full, vibrant colors in the second collection serve Girl Genius wonderfully well. (I’ve decided it’s like when Dorothy wakes up in Oz, leaving homey, monochromatic Kansas behind.)
But in black and white or full color, Girl Genius is an engaging, inventive treat. The Foglios are telling a funny, exciting story that values smarts, heart, and an open mind.