If I had kids, this is the book I would want them to read. So often all-ages books are dumbed down for a younger audience and alienate the adults who like to read fun stories just as much. Goldie Vance #1 has the perfect balance of kid-friendly fun and intelligent humor. The titular character is a young girl who works part-time at the Florida resort that her parents manage. In between work shifts she solves mysteries for the resort guests. The whole feel of Goldie Vance is similar to Archie. It follows young people dealing with everyday issues in a fun way. There’s also a colorful cast of characters. Goldie works with her best friend Cheryl and assists her friend Walt, who is the official detective for the hotel. This issue deals with Goldie trying to locate the missing watch of a guest. It takes a lot of interesting and unexpected turns and by the end of the issue I felt like the journey paid off.
Goldie herself is a character that young girls can look up to. She’s intelligent, enthusiastic and a hard worker. She doesn’t rely on other people to fix her problems. She takes a proactive approach and that’s what makes her a great detective. Goldie does have the flaws that a typical teenager has such as thinking she knows it all and being impulsive, but she seems to stay focused on the bigger picture and the goals that really important to her.
The artwork is handled by Brittany Williams; whose style you may recognize from another great book Marvel’s Patsy Walker: Hellcat. The bright colors on every page instantly give you a feel-good tone. The character designs are diverse both in style and in ethnicity of the characters. Being a detective book there is a lot to pay attention to in the pages and small details can be pointed out among the rest of the main action.
It’s bittersweet knowing that Goldie Vance will only be a four issue mini-series. I think there’s potential for way more storylines beyond four issues but if every issue is as rich with story and fun as this one than I’ll gladly take what I can get.
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