Strained relationships, twisted truths, and new beginnings! Is that a recipe for a perfect disaster or a perfect miracle? Jump into the mix of shenanigans with this unruly group and see for yourself how things catch up with you and the kinds of havoc they unleash once they become too difficult to ignore.

Stride into 1980s Ivory Coast with Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie in their new graphic novel, Aya: Claws Come Out, a soapy, electric comic rich with interwoven storylines and characters that feel so gritty yet so full of life. Both currently living in Paris, Abouet, a writer with Ivorian roots, and Oubrerie, an illustrator born in France, have come together after twelve years and created this wonderful addition to their beloved series. Even as someone who hasn’t had the pleasure of reading any other books from these amazing creators apart from Aya: Claws Come Out, I’m more than thrilled to see what they cook up for this series in the future!

Long-time fans of the Aya series from Abouet and Oubrerie will already be familiar with this fantastic cast and their antics, but for any newcomers—fear not—this wild gang is one that you’ll grow to know and love in no time! Here’s a quick lowdown of these intriguing folks! First, meet our female lead, Aya, a fresh intern at Solibra—a company her father has worked at for over twenty years—who has to balance between her work life, her social circles, and the expectations others have for her as a Black woman. She’s got the sass and she’s got the class, but what she doesn’t have is any time for fun and games or even romantic outings with Didier, a clean-cut lawyer who undeniably fancies her. Moving onto Albert, who must face the unfortunate and shocking truths about living in residence all while dealing with the unjust exile by the people who are supposed to accept him most all because of his sexuality. Then there’s Innocent, who faces Sébastian, his true love, being potentially deported from France if he cannot produce his papers. Now onto Bintou, an actress starring in season one of “Homewrecker,” fearing that her reputation will swirl down the drain because of some crazed fans who truly believe she’s Flora, a manipulative character that she plays on television. Being called a “backstabber” and a “witch” all because of her new starring role is definitely a lot to take, but Bintou has even more on her plate regarding her role, involving pressures from her director to take part in nude scenes—something she won’t stand for. Come along and dive into these untamed waters with this quirky bunch and see for yourself how crazy their lives can get!

Everything from the art style to the colour palette in Aya: Claws Come Out is to die for! From the moment you flip to the first page of this gripping comic, you’re immediately splashed with a tidal wave of rich colours, each panel plumped with a tropical vibrancy. Set in the Ivory Coast, the soft blue skies and the warm hues of the buildings all work to create a balmy, summerlike atmosphere. These summer vibes flow over almost every panel; the lush, green palm trees and the bustling cityscapes making me yearn for the warm, sunny days we have coming our way once winter’s done sending us its chills! These bright, colourful tones help add to the playful mood of this comic and are incredibly stimulating while reading, tempting your eyes to dance delightfully around the page as each line of dialogue unfolds. The character designs and illustrations by Oubrerie are so unique and pleasing to look at, the drawings capturing each scene’s tone and ambience perfectly. When Aya kicks a man in the crotch for threatening her safety, the entire panel reflects that moment of fear, the purple and blue streaks behind her representing not only the impact of this act of self-defence, but also the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Even in scenes of more pleasant occurrences, like when Hervé brings Bintou croissants in the morning, the soft yellows and mellow blues fill the page with a calm and sleepy feeling. Without a doubt, Oubrerie’s eye for detail also shows in the thoughtful decisions that he made when considering the attire of every character. Through attentively creating differences in their appearance and clothing choices, the illustrator tells us about each individual’s personality, fashion sense, and even gives us a glimpse into their social status and class in society. Bintou adorns herself with bold gold earrings and an equally bold gold necklace to match, while Albert, who struggles with living away from home, dresses in more casual clothing rather than decorative or expensive statement pieces. Oubrerie truly outdid himself with his fantastic illustrations and attention to detail in Aya: Claws Come Out. His masterful artistic talents show themselves in this piece, giving us a unique experience of Ivory Coast living during the 80s and perfectly representing each character’s psyche and the atmosphere of every single scene.

As someone who hasn’t had the chance to pick up the other books in the Aya series yet, I have to say; I had a blast learning about these characters and their shared histories. Out of the entire cast, however, Bintou was the character I gravitated towards the most. Her storyline had so many ups and downs, allowing us to see her different layers and find pieces of ourselves within her frustrations. Abouet’s well-crafted writing of Bintou’s dialogue and character development truly blew me away; the hardships and shortcomings she faces serve as motivation to better herself and find hope even in its absence. Characters like Bintou show how important it is to represent the struggles that many women have faced and continue to face in their work life. Not only does her resilience shine through as the story progresses, but she also reveals a darker side to the life of the rich and famous. The fantastic thing about Bintou is that she’s empowering and strong and yet, she also shows her vulnerability to her friends, Aya and Adjoua, when hard times come her way. Seeing a character with a story so full of unpleasant incidents charge through those obstacles with a lionhearted disposition is undeniably one of my favourite things to witness in fiction. Her storming out on her pushy boss was the icing on the cake that sealed my admiration for this character—that fearless, striking energy radiating through the page.

It’s not a stretch to say that this comic is one that’ll leave you constantly smiling or bursting out with laughter! Every comedic scene in this fantastic piece is carefully crafted both visually and through the dialogue between the cast to create such an enjoyable experience. Even the side characters in this comic had me dying! I loved the small, funny scenes like when Ignace and Gervais stood nervously at the doorway of their boss, Monsieur Sissoko, both hesitant and wanting to let the other step into his office first out of fear of what news he could’ve been calling them in for. From their facial expressions to their dialogue, Abouet and Oubrerie perfected the entire scene to build tension but also get a good chuckle in there. There’s nothing I love more than a comic that can make you smirk at the silly little moments between each character. These instances, as seen in Aya: Claws Come Out, can relieve us of those feelings of impending doom looming over the characters, allowing us to breathe out and find time to not take it all so seriously. Although this lovely graphic novel explores rather dark and gloomy themes at times, this only further emphasizes all the punchy, lighthearted scenes even more, the creators encouraging us with these hilarious moments to release that built up tension and let loose in some good fun! It takes great skill to craft a story that’s both heavy-hitting while still having a bubblegum comic feel, and Abouet and Oubriere certainly blew me away with their ability to draw back and forth between knee-slapping and deeply emotional scenes with ease.

As many of us know, standing strong is harder than it looks. You may put on a brave face, but are actually crumbling within, hoping as you crash into bed for the night that the next day will bring brighter skies. Much like the characters in Aya: Claws Come Out, however, we just keep getting up the next day and pushing onwards, unaware and uncertain of where forwards could lead. Despite these characters having different pressures and struggles in this book, such as Albert, with his parents’ rejection of his sexuality and Aya, with the pressures from her father surrounding her new work position, they all have one thing in common: they persevere. I think we could all learn a lesson or two from this group and decide for ourselves how we should go about combating hardship and inner turmoil in our own lives with a positive mindset. In Aya: Claws Come Out, Abouet and Oubrerie certainly outdo themselves, making memorable characters that show us pieces of ourselves rather than just remaining purely fiction. Through their characterization of Bintou, Aya, and Albert, these creators show us that, while life may be hard at times, we must continue moving through the storms no matter how rough they get. Trouble will come our way—that’s for sure—but it’s simply our decision whether we let those problems become us or if we try to ride out the wave and come back out on top.