Thieves

In this effervescent romantic comedy about parties, high school, and kleptomania, Bryon (Food Baby) tells the tale of Ella, who stole a pile of partygoers’ stuff out of a closet while blackout drunk, and Madeleine, the host of the party. The two girls have been crushing on each other for a while, but their blossoming courtship is complicated by Ella’s thievery. (“As soon as I get rid of all this crap and guilt, I’m gonna be girlfriend of the year!”) To right the party foul, the pair travel from one teen gathering to the next, attempting to secretly return the objects to their rightful owners. Eventually, they drag Ella’s best friend Leslie into the mission. Ella cheerfully chatters with her many acquaintances while wallflower Madeleine worries about her new girlfriend abandoning her, as Bryon weaves in the details of the pair’s personal lives and worldviews with their clique’s looming anxieties about the end of high school. Bryon renders both characters and backgrounds in lovely, lithe manga art, capturing the sheen of wealthy abodes and populated party scenes, as well as small gestures and moments between the lovebirds. A limited color palette keeps the bouncy narrative arc unified and harmonious. This energizing work from a rising comics talent has YA crossover appeal. (Oct.)