REVIEW: 'Alice in Leatherland' #5 by Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli

Alice's adventures in love come to an end in this final issue but it'll be one you'll want to cherish. 

ALICE IN LEATHERLAND #5

Writer: Iolanda Zanfardino

Artist: Elisa Romboli

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Release Date: September 1, 2021

Cover Price: $3.99

It may sound like a cliché, but every fairytale needs a happy ending. Even the messy, spicy, and, very often, tragicomic ones. Will Alice and Robin be able to put aside their fears and pride to build their happy ending?

Score:

 ★★★★★ (5/5)

'Alice in Leatherland' #5 marks the end of this delightful miniseries. Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli have created a sweet and sexy comic that's helped make 2021 one of the best years in the industry. The amount of quality indie comics this year so far has been both astounding and alleviating. In a sea of superhero comics, 'Alice' was a refreshing romantic comedy that was both wholesome and a little risque but with a huge heart. The romantic trials and tribulations of Alice Snowhite, a young children's book author moving to San Francisco seeking inspiration and love was just the right antidote to not only the grittiness of popular mainstream comics but to the often turbulent world right outside our doors. This fairytale indeed needed a happy ending and its creators delivered. 

If you've been reading 'Alice' it's only right to assume that you'd get the ending that's been teased for many issues and frankly it's the only way this series could end. When it comes to love stories, it's not so much about the expected outcome, the story coming full circle, but it's about the journey that earns that final coupling. And after five issues of one bad date after another, Alice and Robin deserve some happiness. Their character arcs, their growth, and personal development all lead to a blossoming of romance built on accepting who they are. Alice in particular as the lead learns a lot about herself and has us rooting for her the entire time. 

Romboli's beautiful illustrations, especially the whimsical interludes of pages from the children's book inspired by Alice's adventures, convey so much emotion but joy most of all. The limited palette of black, white, and shades of pink gave the series a distinct appearance that soothes but also draws you in. Romboli can do anything. Her versatility takes us from a quiet romantic meeting in the opening of issue five to a mad dash across town in the final pages. While 'Alice' is like a modern fairytale it also includes the joy of intimacy and sex and it's handled artfully and honestly. When dates go bad they can be awkward and ill-fitting. Romboli conveys a gamut of emotions born out of all those encounters and it's always precisely funny, or weird, or sad, or extremely euphoric. She's the perfect musician to Zanfardino's lyrics if you will. 

'Alice in Leatherland' #5 forces us to say goodbye to Alice as she finds her happy ending. This is the kind of feel-good romantic comedy you want to cherish, buy the trades, and share with friends. In a time of fear and uncertainty in the real world, comics like this offer us hope, allow us to swoon or cringe, but most of all remind us of the power of love for others and ourselves.