When I was a little kid, there was a period of time when I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up. Mind you, this was before I realized what that would actually entail and that a veterinarian wasn’t a person who just got to cuddle with cute animals all day. That said, I’ve still always loved animals and I’m certain that my childhood self would’ve adored this comic book series. Veterinarians who’re also witches and exclusively treat magical animals, is such a fun premise and Hex Vet makes full use of it. This comic features a host of adorable creatures and plenty of excitement, as the two main characters work to hone their craft and discover that they can depend on each other and on themselves.
Hex Vet: Witches in Training
Synopsis:
Annette (Nan) and Clarion are trainee witches at the Willows Whisper Veterinary Practice, where they assist Dr. Talon and Nurse Chantsworth with caring for the patients and with various administrative tasks. They both have areas where they need to grow, but are determined to prove themselves when Dr. Talon and Nurse Chantsworth leave them in charge of the clinic while they answer an emergency call. The pair quickly find themselves in over their heads when a rabbit that wandered into the clinic turns out to be suffering from a rare and dangerous malady. The two young witches will need to work together in order to figure out what’s wrong with the rabbit and protect the other beasts in their care.
Review:
This first volume got the series off to a strong start and does a great job establishing our two leads’ strengths, as well as their weaknesses, and showing us how they complement each other. Clarion is kind and gentle, but a bit too timid and Nan is studious and cleve
r, but lacks people skills. She’s also troubled by the fact that her families’ bad reputation causes many of the local townsfolk to be distrustful of her. Clarion and Nan have a somewhat awkward relationship at the start of the story, but the rabbit crisis forces them to rely on each other and they wind up becoming friends, once they realize what a great team they make. Both of these kids are likeable leads, though I found Nan to be a more compelling character, thanks to the situation involving her families past misdeeds. The main story about Clarion and Nan’s developing friendship is sweet on it’s own, but this volume also sets up several ongoing plot threads that left me wanting to read more, including the presence of a mysterious threat that’s still lurking in the woods.
Vex Vet: The Flying Surgery
Synopsis:
Clarion, Nan, Dr. Talon and Nurse Chantsworth take to the skies in order to more easily serve their flying patients, including a rare and valuable flying pig who was found alone in the woods and appears to have been mistreated. Suspecting that the flying pig must have escaped from some smugglers, Dr. Talon joins a ranger witch to investigate the woods and see if these smugglers’ activities might be related to the unusual behavior being exhibited by the rabbits in the area. While she’s gone, a strange man shows up demanding that they hand over the flying pig and threatening to turn everyone into toads if they don’t comply. It’s up to Clarion, Nan and Nurse Chantsworth to try and get the situation under control and keep their patient and clients safe!
Review:
In this volume we learn more about Clarion, who is living with his grandpa while his parents are traveling for work, and watch him struggle with his aversion to confrontation. He ultimately comes to the realization that he has a talent for communication and that his ability to empathize and stay calm in tense situations might be his greatest strength. While Nan has less to do in this volume, she seems to have become more comfortable with dealing with other people since their last adventure and it’s great to see both her and Clarion grow as a result of their training and experiences. In this volume we learn a bit more about Nan’s family and why everyone is so wary of them, though there are still many unanswered questions. Meanwhile, the mystery of what exactly is lurking in the woods is only becoming more intriguing, as we catch glimpses of the danger that’s hiding there.
Hex Vet is a cute and light-hearted series. The pastel colour palette and adorable art style 
suit the story perfectly and I loved all of the character and creature designs. The storylines have, thus far, been pretty simple but there are a lot of mysterious and captivating plot threads taking place in the background and I’m looking forward to reading more of this series and seeing how they’re all resolved. I want to know more about Nan’s family, discover the secret behind what’s hiding in the forest and find out more about the enigmatic Dr. Talon. Hex Vet is a fun read and I’m sure that any kids who love animals and fantasy stories will find it enthralling.
Final Score: 7.5 out of 10
For more information on this series visit Boom! Sudio’s website: https://www.boom-studios.com/series/hex-vet/
What did you think of this series? What job did you want to have when you were a kid? Let me know in the comments. You can also check out some of my other All-Ages comic’s reviews:
- Pilu of the Woods Review
- Rainbow Brite Vol 1 Review
- Nightlights Series Review (Nightlights & Hicotea)
- Extraordinary: A Story of an Ordinary Princess Review
- Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant Review
- Newsprints Review
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