Comic Review: Steven Universe #23

Apparently, taking care of a kitten can be a lot tougher than protecting Earth.

Overview:

Garnet is struggling to care for the kitten her and Steven found, Steven Cat.  Steven decides to enlist Connie’s help with teaching the alien about pet care.  As powerful and talented as Garnet may be, learning all of the simplicities of cat care becomes a little overwhelming.  But, when Steven Cat puts itself in danger, Garnet is more than equipped to take care of the tiny creature.

Our Take:

In all honesty, this is the first Steven Universe comic that I have read.  Out of the millions of comics that have flipped through my hand, and the plenty of hours of Steven Universe I have watched, it’s a little surprising I haven’t picked up an issue yet.  On the one hand, it is an exciting venture to try a new comic title.  On the other, you never know what to expect.  Which seems to be the case with Steven Universe stories in general, so really it is unpredictable.

Reading this comic was definitely a different spin on the typical action stories that cross my path.  And, that’s not a bad thing.  This issue is simple in its concept but executed to a tee.  The fiercest, most powerful, and easily my favourite of the gems, Garnet, is thrown into a whole new world when she is expected to care for a tiny kitten.  Of course, Garnet has the heart and compassion to want to do the best job possible, it is her own innocence that handicaps her.  Good old lovable Connie shows her patience again when caring for the feline and the aliens’ ego.

What’s funny is I have had a couple of cats myself, and I still learned a thing or two from this book.  It is kind of like a little tutorial for kitten care.  Like did you know that you can’t bathe a kitten with the full power of a shower head?  Just kidding, I never even tried to bathe a cat.  Don’t they do that themselves?  Maybe I am as naïve as Garnet is.  I definitely appreciated it when she threw the stick across the beach expecting the baby cat to play like a dog – or, in this case, Amethyst.

For my first foray into Steven Universe comics, I was pleasantly surprised.  They have done a solid job of keeping the tone of the show and transferring it into another media.  SU is supposed to be a little bit humorous and a lot of heart that is what makes it great.  If this little side-story about Garnet trying to care for a tiny creature doesn’t shout humour and heart, then I don’t know what does.  I do wonder if the title does progress much like the show into epic battles, fusions, and giant aliens attacking a small beach town.  I guess I’ll just have to keep reading to find out.