Hermione Granger. Glinda the Good Witch. Mary Poppins. No matter their prowess, none of these witches conjure up sorcery quite like Sarah Graley’s Roxy in her comic Pizza Witch. In it, Roxy has an uncanny magic many a millennial (or anyone really) would lust after. Pizza Witch is just as goofy and odd as its title suggests.
Pizza Witch follows the misadventures of Roxy, a wacky witch who can conjure up wickedly good pizza. She and her cat familiar George are the head honchos of a pizza empire. When Roxy falls for a lactose-intolerant dreamboat out on a delivery, she’ll stop at nothing to find a special cheese-free ingredient to get the girl. And she’ll do it all in thirty minutes or less.
First off, this comic is very cheesy, similar to that of a somewhat charming pick up line: it’s cute, supposed to be funny, and depending on your object of desire, it might actually score you a date. With Pizza Witch, we’re talking cheese baked right into the crust levels here. If you’re not a fan of cheese or are lactose intolerant, I’d recommend devouring a different comic. However, if you’re that one person at the party who just wants cheese pizza, then dive right in. Eat your heart out. Pizza Witch operates in a wonderfully weird world populated by strange but quirky creatures. The main characters Roxy and George have a fun and playful dynamic. Roxy’s a dramatic, hopeless romantic while George helps keep her grounded. And he parks the broom on deliveries.
Additionally, Graley’s artwork vibes perfectly with Pizza Witch‘s tone. The colours are bright and they pop on the page. Even the background designs have something to offer. There’s always something to look at, like a speech bubble or facial expression screaming for your attention. The characters look very distinguished and feel funky fresh (are the kids still saying that?). Plus, that cat is quite possibly the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen in a comic book.
Nonetheless, the potentially fatal flaw of Pizza Witch doesn’t even have anything to do with the comic itself: it’s about a reader’s personal preference. It’s about a witch who makes pizza. Take it at its face value. Deep thinkers need not apply. It’s a lighthearted romp and it definitely has its own spirited energy, but it’s not for everyone. At times, it feels like it’s trying too hard to be odd, to be over-the-top, to be too overwhelming visually. If you choose to take a bite out of Pizza Witch, do it on an empty stomach. With all that gloppy cheese, it can feel filling very quickly.
Overall, Pizza Witch could be compared to actual pizza. It’s not a pie from your favourite pizzeria, but your stomach’s growling so loudly you’ll eat anything. It gets the job done, but there’s just too much going on. For next time, Pizza Witch really needs to hold some of its cheese please.
Have you stuffed your face yet with Pizza Witch? Order your own copy of Sarah Graley’s comic here, and leave your own rating in the comments below or send over your thoughts on Twitter!
