This year has been RUFF. Now, I certainly don’t wag my tail with every piece of literature that falls in my lap, but I came across something special here. Mayor Good Boy, a graphic novel by Dave Scheidt and illustrated by Miranda Harmon, was a cover to cover success, and we can shake on that. Enough with the canine puns for now. But while reading this, I did something that felt unfamiliar; I smiled. I grinned and chuckled like I was a little kid again. It filled my heart with a happiness that hasn’t been seen since pre-2020. With my own good girl Darcy at my feet, a precious golden husky mix, I am delighted to tell you that come August 31st, this will be my go-to back-to-school gift for any child or parent.
Welcome to Greenwood! An idyllic little town that made arguably the most progressive political decision of the past century, by electing a dog their mayor! Supported by the sibling team of Abby and Aaron, and his aide Ms. Monica, our Good Boy takes his job very seriously. Aside from a series of nap breaks and delectable cheese slices, this might be the right person dog for the job. Unfortunately, as we have seen in our own timeline, elections do bring out the worst in people, and one person, in particular, has it out for our four-legged friend. With a series of ensuing hijinks and the floofiest politician you have ever seen, this graphic novel might be the cure for your pandemic blues.
The real success of Mayor Good Boy falls on writer Dave Scheidt who creates a marvelous story that resonates with readers young and old. My 7-year-old sat beside me and was entranced by the easy-to-follow plot and laugh-out-loud moments that continued in each panel. Did I mention that illustrator Miranda Harmon creates a dog so cute that certain moments left me exclaiming an audible “aww”?
For someone who has been entrusted with some of this summer’s darker horror comics to review, I must say that this was a treat I didn’t need to beg for. At a time when everything seems inexplicably terrible, it’s books like this that remind us that perhaps a dog really should be in charge. I may appear to be an expert on something like this, but don’t take my word for it; GateCrasher’s own good girls howled with approval over Mayor Good Boy.
