The inherent charm of c.lemieux’s Gnome Granny is evident as soon as you lay your eyes upon the cover, which features a colourful market, and a jolly granny sprinting through cheerily. Said granny is Maggie, whose favourite hobby is collecting garden gnomes. When Maggie’s wife Cici spots a rare, sought-after gnome at the local market, Maggie is desperate to get her hands on the grail piece – and she isn’t going to let anything, or anyone, get in her way!
It’s an average day at the market until Maggie’s wife spots it; a green garden gnome, with a cherry red nose, dainty paws and decorative flowers. This isn’t just any old gnome – it’s a gnome that Maggie has been desperate to add to her collection for a long time. Whilst the market holder isn’t initially keen to let the gnome go, as it’s just a decorative piece, Maggie is determined to acquire it, and successfully barters with the man. However, her wife reminds her that their hands are rather full with food shopping, and they have no means of safely getting the beloved gnome home! Not a problem, the market man says, he will keep the gnome safe, ready for Maggie to pick up tomorrow. It’ll be fine until then… right?
As an avid plush and comics collector myself, I could totally understand Maggie’s elation and determination upon discovering a piece that would complete her collection. The twinkle in her eye and excitement upon waking up on gnome collection day is adorable, and the close-ups of her gnome collection show how passionate she is about this hobby, with each gnome being vibrant and unique. I love that mieux chose an older lady for the protagonist in this story; there can sometimes be a very unfair stigma that life becomes dull and boring when you get to a certain age, but Gnome Granny shows that, no matter what age you are, you can still go on wacky adventures and have fun, fulfilling hobbies. I also enjoyed the lovely representation of an older queer relationship between the two fun, bubbly women, with their fabulous sense of dress and hair styles.
The core message of Gnome Granny is that you’re never too old to enjoy your hobbies, whether that be collecting dolls, vintage video games or toys from your childhood. I won’t lie when I say that the message of validation and acceptance made me tear up a little and picture a better world in which people aren’t judged for simply being excited about and enjoying their hobbies. Gnome Granny is available to purchase for a few more days at the ShortBox Comics Fair!
c.lemieux (W/A) • ShortBox Comics Fair, £6.00
Review by Lydia Turner
