Death & Sparkles and the Sacred Golden Cupcake

Death and Sparkles are back in the second installment of this graphic novel series about unlikely friends, with the first book being simply called Death & Sparkles. The narrative jumps from the past to the present, weaving together two storylines into one wild adventure. Justus first delves into the fraught history of the unicorns and the moles, introduced as nemeses in the first novel, detailing how the haughty unicorns imprisoned the unsuspecting moles many years ago. Intolerance is explored with a light touch, along with themes of peer pressure and selfishness. In the present, Sparkles proudly shows Death his cupcake bling, a necklace he inherited from his ancestors along with instructions to go on a coming of age journey to discover “what it truly means to be a unicorn!” The journey that follows is marked by humour and madcap antics (dance battles, anyone?), bringing together the duo and the moles in a cathartic climax that rights past wrongs. Justus’ vivid and colourful illustrations, “rendered in magical cupcakes with a sprinkle of digital art” according to the book’s colophon, add energy to the already zany plot. The novel closes with a clear teaser setting up a third installment.

Death & Sparkles and the Sacred Golden Cupcake is a satisfying addition to this fun and breezy graphic novel series.