Paper Girls Vol. 6 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson & Jared K Fletcher

Oh, it’s over? I don’t want it to be.

So this is the final volume of the time-traveling adventures of four badass paper girls who originally meet as 12 year-olds the morning after Halloween, while delivering newspapers in their small town of Stony Stream, Ohio. After getting shunted through time in four separate directions at the end of Vol 5, they each struggle not only to get back to 1988 but also to solve the existential questions they’ve had to grapple with since first becoming time travelers. The war they’ve accidentally been plunged in the middle of seems to be drawing to a close, but the cessation of hostilities could have unwelcome consequences for our girls, including the possibility of losing the bond they’ve built through their adventures.

This ending was sweet with just a tinge of bitter, as we know what will eventually happen to each girl, tho I don’t think what happens to the real KJ was ever discussed? In all honesty, this volume raised more questions than it answered. What were those fourth-dimensional things? What’s the deal with Wari? And I get that the end of a war can often feel anticlimactic for the generals signing the treaty but I did have a strong “what was even the point of fighting?!” at that scene. Tho, I suppose, that only hammers home the pointlessness of war.

Anyway, I really enjoyed cheering on the girls and their friendship, and while I really want them to have their happily ever afters, I have to take solace in the fact their lives will continue to be lived as awesomely as possible. Tho I thought it was weird and sad that Tiffany would give up on her Arkanoid high score, as if putting aside childish things. It’s okay to have pastimes and goals, and I don’t think setting aside her hobby was going to make her a better person. I know it’s a metaphor for letting go of an obsession that was taking over her life, only I don’t really feel that it was taking over? Plus, she was so close to the end. Oh well, that’s my nerd brain for you.

Overall a good ending to the series, but perhaps not the strongest contender for this year’s Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. Oh, and my thoughts on the art, colors and letters are just the same as in the first five volumes: consistently terrific.