Broken Frontier

Matthew Loux made a name for himself with Sidescrollers, a book aimed squarely at the fanboy heart, with its story centred on three gamer friends spitting out pop culture absurdities. The first volume of his all-ages Salt Water Taffy series was next. This volume continues the good work Loux began and follows brothers Jack and Benny’s adventures in the port of Chowder Bay on a summer family holiday.

The two adventurous Putnam boys are hiking with their parents as the book opens. Their father is swinging his arms wildly and proclaiming the glory of nature while the two boys begin collecting feathers and talking to their wise-cracking owners. At the top of Mt. Small the boys decide they want to climb the treacherous Mt. Barnabas next, but realise it’s closed off. However their curiosity is only encouraged by their father’s wild tales of already accomplishing the manly trek in his youth, claiming he stole his hat from Barnabas, the giant eagle. All the while, Mom rolls her eyes, and we can see what’s coming next. The boys do end up on the mysterious mountain, but in a roundabout way.

A family trip to the town’s gift shop after descending Mt. Small allows Jack and Benny to sneak off with their new toys, i.e. a lobster hat and a remote controlled helicopter, that Jack soon learns is hilariously not "as advertised." Jack also secretly swipes his Dad’s hat and while the two start getting the lay of the land, the sky is filled with a monstrous shadow. It’s Barnabas! He’s real, and he reclaims his hat in a blur. The brothers know what they must do and meet the challenge with courage, and also some wisdom. Before the heroic hat rescue, they pay a visit to Angus, their hero, who is a more manly version of the Sea Captain from The Simpsons. As soon as they learn from the old fisherman that blueberries are Barnabas’ favourite food they’re raring to go. While Jack scouts ahead for a safe path to the apex, Benny is led into the forest by Dan the Wolf, a hungry creature with a bad sense of humour. They escape his snapping jaws, get hoisted up a difficult part of the mountain by a giant, silent turtle who demands a tip, run into Dan once more, meet a pair of shunned lobsters and finally come face to beak with Barnabas himself.

This 96 page digest is a great read. Imagine a children’s book in comic format, or a Saturday morning cartoon on paper. There are talking animals, all with distinct personalities straight from a Disney film, and a realistic family straight out of a Pixar film. The younger Putnams’ bickering is like any siblings’, but they also manage to look out for one another, like real brothers should. Witty one-liners are bountiful too, such as this zinger from Benny - "If I fall to my death, I’m totally telling Mom on you."

Loux’s art is as distinctive as his constantly moving plot. He renders the kids well, with long limbs that flail when they run and the cast of animals with cartoon qualities. The thick black lines and angular features pay off and the textures of the environments are more detailed than his figures, giving a sense of rugged texture. Salt Water Taffy is a great addition to the growing series of all-ages books gracing our shelves. This is harmless entertainment and without sounding like a board game commercial, it truly is fun for the whole family.

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A 16 page preview is also available at Oni’s site for those who need a deciding factor.