Cool Cat Studio

Keenspot Entertainment caters to the technologically challenged by collecting one of its online strips in a more traditional and convenient format. Gisele Lagace’s Cool Cat Studio has been appearing on the Internet since early last year, telling the often-amusing story of a group of young graphic designers and their immediate circle of friends.

As is often the case with new comic strips, Lagace struggled early on trying to entice readers. Limited by four panels per strip at a three-per-week pace, the characters took time to develop, making early storylines overly simplified and one-dimensional. Also, being a humor strip, Lagace had to come up with a punchline each time that was more often forced than funny.

But, once Lagace began to enhance the characters’ personalities and have more interaction among them, the strip began to shine. Never has there been a more convoluted yet charming romantic entanglement between a strip’s seven main characters. Lagace has also recently begun treating the story more like a book than a strip, which allows for more varied storytelling. And no forced punchlines.

The big strike against the first issue is that it reprints the weaker, earlier material, and Marc Leblanc’s colors will be absent. But new readers will want to get in on the introduction to what becomes a rich, entertaining story, and existing fans will want to see the new six-page story included in this issue.

— Jim Johnson

Jump to issue:

#1

Nov 2001

Cover: $2.95

W: T. Campbell, Gisèle Lagacé · A: Gisèle Lagacé

B&W

1 copy for $4.98
#2

Jan 2002

Cover: $2.95

W: T. Campbell, Gisèle Lagacé · A: Gisèle Lagacé

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1 copy for $14.98
#3

Apr 2002

Cover: $2.95

W: T. Campbell, Gisèle Lagacé · A: Gisèle Lagacé

B&W

1 copy for $5.99