Whimsical, warm and magical. Three words that can easily be ascribed to recent small press gem Fox Flight Market Night, from creator Beatrijs Brouwer (professionally known as Beastly Worlds). From the intriguing watercolour cover with a sweet mosaic-style border to the cute little foxes having a debate on the blurb, this zine is immediately eye-catching, intriguing and, most importantly, conveys a passion project crafted and put together with great care.
Fox Flight Market Night is a 52-page, full-colour zine following sisters Sam and Dot (who just so happen to be magical shape-shifting foxes!). The alliterative, rhyming title lets the reader know what they’re in for – an exciting escapade to the mysterious Night Market! The story begins with Sam, the older of two sisters, diligently studying for a school test. However, she’s finding little sister Dot’s shape-shifting antics distracting, to say the least. Following an intense argument, Dot soon runs off to the place she’s always dreamed of going – the Night Market. There’s just one problem – Sam and Dot have been forbidden by their parents to go. Will Sam figure out where Dot has gone and get her home before she exposes their shape-shifting magic to the unsuspecting humans?
The feeling of reading through Fox Flight Market Night can only be described as giving you ‘the warm and fuzzies’, particularly through its depiction of the relationship between sisters Sam and Dot. The sisters’ discourse is so realistic of a real sibling dynamic – irritating each other one minute, being thick as thieves the next, and ultimately always being there for each other when needed. With their relationship at the center, this is one of those lovely and rare reads that will give readers a little sigh of contentment as they breeze through the pages; something that isn’t always easily achievable in so short a format.
This isn’t to say that the story isn’t exciting – Dot’s entrance into the Night Market disguised as a little girl doesn’t go quite as smoothly as she’d hoped – every time she gets startled or questioned, she seems to lose the ability and confidence to maintain her disguise, either briefly reverting to her wolf form (with a stray tail or paw manifesting itself), or transforming into someone else entirely. Dot’s various transformations were fantastic to see, from a spooky spectre wolf to a bearded man through to a colossal chicken (you’ll have to read yourself to find out the reason behind that one!).
The Night Market itself as the main backdrop for the story couldn’t have been more perfect; it’s almost like Dot has entered Wonderland when she walks through the entrance. Suddenly everything feels magical and wonderful, cozy and warm. The purple-hued night sky is lit up with sparkles and pastel lights, giving the entire place a magical glow. The Market stalls themselves are filled with thrilling sights to behold – mini whales, clouds in a jar, good luck charms and an array of dreamy-looking sweet treats. Brouwer’s attention to detail particularly shines in these panels, which one could pore over for minutes at a time – there’s always something new to find, hidden in the background. Drawn using ink and coloured using watercolour paint, the quirky style is a delight to look at.
With allusions to other zines, she has produced (like the cameo of the girl and her cat from Moon Pots), detailed watercolour illustrations that stand out on the page, and a story that is both compelling and reassuring, Brouwer has created a project that is incredibly personal and unique. This is certainly a small press creator to watch out for.
Beastly Worlds (W/A) • Self-published, £12.00
Review by Lydia Turner
