The Dreamer, Vol. 3: The Battle of Harlem Heights

This collection is not a good place to start reading this webcomic, but for fans of the series, it’s an excellent completion to the first story arc and provides an exciting new foundation for future installments. Beatrice is a high school student who’s just begun dating her quarterback crush—they’re in drama club together—but when she goes to sleep, she dreams she is a young woman during the American Revolution who is in love with a major in the Army and meets George Washington. The five chapters here deal with war, regret, and death. Close attention is required to keep the various soldier characters straight, since they all look similar; but, particularly for young women, the potent emotional blend of romance and adventure creates an affecting story starring a determined girl that they can identify with. Innes, who both writes and draws, balances historical detail and universal emotions to make this comic a strong contender in the “historical dream romance” category. The cliffhanger—involving Beatrice’s increasing distance from her friends and family as they worry about her health, mental confusion, and seemingly poor choices—is a nail-biter. (Mar.)