‘Plutona’ Review: A Hero’s Fall and Teens’ Struggles

I just finished all five issues of Plutona, and it was way more emotional and intense than I expected. Let’s talk about it!

This comic book is by Jeff Lemire and Emi Lenox. We’re already big fans of Lemire, both his writing and his art. He’s one of those creators who always brings something unique, whether it’s Trillium, or now Minor Arcana and Absolute Flash. Lemire and Lenox actually met at a convention and became friends there, and went on to work together on Sweet Tooth before Plutona became their own full collaboration, with the two of them shaping the story side by side before Lemire scripted it. Jordie Bellaire was brought on as their first choice as colorist, and it’s easy to see why once you’re a few pages in.

Emi Lenox’s art fits this story perfectly too, giving the kids and the darker moments a very grounded but striking look. Before Plutona, Lenox was mostly known for EmiTown, her long-running autobiographical webcomic, and this was actually her first time working on a full miniseries. That background shows in the best way, her style reads closer to animation or webcomic art than traditional superhero pages, and it ends up being a perfect entry point for a story that’s using the superhero genre as a backdrop rather than the main event.

What Is Plutona About?

The story follows a group of kids who, after school one day, wander into the woods and stumble across the body of Plutona, the greatest superhero in the world. Instead of calling for help, they decide to keep it a secret. Each issue mixes their everyday teenage life with this dark discovery, and things spiral quickly. In between, at the end of each issue, we also get short glimpses of Plutona’s story, which helps piece together how she ended up there. Those backup pages are actually written and drawn by Lemire himself, which gives them a distinct feel from the main story and makes them feel like their own quiet aside. It’s part superhero comic, part coming-of-age drama, and it gets more tense with each issue.

What Worked

What I really liked about Plutona is how it mixes the ordinary world of teenagers with the extraordinary. One moment the kids are wrapped up in school and sibling drama, and the next they’re standing over the body of a superhero in the woods. From there, the story becomes less about superpowers and more about how kids deal with something way beyond them. Some want fame, some want to keep it secret, and others are just desperate to feel special or respected. Those choices felt both frustrating and believable, which made the ending hit even harder.

It’s a story about friendship, pressure, and the lengths kids will go to in order to stand out. And that made it both shocking and touching at the same time, as it often happens with Jeff Lemire’s stories. I also loved the art, especially the way it contrasts the normal suburban setting with the darker, creepier side of the woods. The short Plutona backup stories added nice depth to her character, giving weight to what happened in the main narrative. And I have to mention the covers: each issue has a different character front and center, but all done in the same style, and it looks so good together. That’s why we had to pick them up when we saw the complete set at our LCS a few weeks ago!

Final Thoughts

Plutona is a story about teenagers, friendship, and the dangerous need to feel special. It’s heartfelt, unsettling, and totally worth the read. Definitely a series that stuck with me after I finished it. You can pick it up in trade paperback or hardcover, and you really should.

More Creator-Driven Image Comics

If Plutona‘s mix of everyday life and something much darker worked for you, a few other Image books are worth a look. The Author Immortal follows a failed writer pulled into the living fantasy world of the book series that shaped his childhood, with just as much heart underneath the fantasy elements. I Was a Fashion School Serial Killer is a much darker, funnier coming-of-age story, following a serial killer just trying to make it through fashion school without getting caught, or slipping back into old habits. And The Deviant is a much bleaker read, a psychological horror miniseries about a killer Santa Claus and the investigation that reaches fifty years into the past.

FAQ

Is Plutona worth reading? Yes. It’s one of Jeff Lemire’s most emotionally grounded books, and a great pick even for readers who don’t normally go for superhero comics.

Do you need to read anything before Plutona? No. It’s a standalone five-issue miniseries with no required reading beforehand.

Who is writing and drawing Plutona? Jeff Lemire and Emi Lenox co-created the series, with colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Steve Wands.

Is Plutona a one-shot, miniseries, or ongoing series? It’s a five-issue miniseries, running from September 2015 to June 2016.

Is Plutona available in a collected edition? Yes, it’s available in both trade paperback and hardcover.